Strings of Fate
by evil ducks army
Summary: AUxAfter the final battle and Voldemort's fall, no one is left unaffected by the traumas of war not even the almighty Golden Trio,or the Slytherin Prince Draco Malfoy, but lives are destined to cross roads or be cut short there's no control of thatDMxHG
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: Disclaimer - We own nothing Harry Potter)

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Chapter 1

_Some times in life things can change so fast that if your not looking close enough you won't even see it happening. When it does happen its called fate, a funny word with a funny meaning, something so small as a four-letter utterance makes some peoples world turn upside down. But what of those who don't believe in fate? Living in a world exclusive to themselves seeing a narrow road they say was created by them. In all reality there is a larger picture out there and people we meet and know; people we call friends or lovers or even just those that are precious to us are always placed on a path parallel so we can interact, and they are always placed there unknown to us by something much larger in life. Someone once asked, is there really a higher power we answer to? If so how do we know they really exist in the first place. The fact is we don't know all we have is what has been told to us. That is what has to be good enough as our lives unknowingly are played along on strings…_

--

Hermione Granger is your typical seventeen year old student, currently attending Hogwarts school for witch craft and wizardry…well maybe she is not so typical in the fact that she does presently go to an all magical school and for the last three years of her life she has been helping her friends fight something indescribably evil. It has been an interesting life for Hermione Granger, but she can't say she can argue with how it's turned out. If you look past the fact that everyday everything in her world has started to crumble with the weight of things to come and the things that have come, then sure this girl is a perfectly normal teenager.

There are only a few things in her life, however, that have messed with that one simple fact. For one, she is muggle born, two: she is finally able to close the last chapter of the horror story that is the prince of all darkness, none other then Lord Voldemort. Lastly Hermione is never one to push away her studies, heaven forbid, so instead of relaxing and rejoicing in the after math of the dark lords defeat, she pulls her last comfort closer to her. It is a unconscious, and not entirely deliberate act, done by her…the one thing that lets her get lost in her own comfort zone. Her work, her studies, her school. Yes, Hogwarts still stands tall, proud, and seemingly indomitable. Lets not forget that a few more pounds have been added to her arms; Hermione Granger has a boy friend; none other then Ronald Billius Weasley.

Despite the work load and the tragedies of yore she keeps the smile on her face. The mask that everyone sees and that not even knows she wears day to day. This is only the beginning of one tale in many people's lives. There is another that has run along the same strings of fate, the very same as Ms. Granger's. What would happen if these two unwittingly tangled their lives with one another? Normally this wouldn't be a questionable issue to some, but the other life that this involves makes this union wrong in more ways then one.

From a prestigious background and families abound with wealth, is the soul heir of the Malfoy fortune, Draco. Most girls swoon and almost faint at the sight of this stoic, bad boy's deep steel blue eyes, and platinum blond hair. These things matter not to Draco however. What does is the fact that even though he has been acquitted of any misdeeds under his fathers name and even though he still holds the title of Malfoy Manor, his world stopped moving the day his father was sent to Azkaban and when his mother fled under the cover of night shortly after. He was left alone, with the exception of house elves of course but he might as well have vanished like his parents had done. They had, in his mind selfishly left him behind to defend for himself in a world that he didn't want to be alone in.

Voldemort's downfall, his parents leaving, everyone looking down on him as though he was filth; it was a heavy burden upon his delicate pretty boy shoulders. His world too felt like it was slowly cracking. These are the things that fate decides, our destiny, our fortunes, life…and death…

Even though the world seems pretty at ease right now there are those who are not. The people that were just to close to the travesties of a mad man…Now read the tales of woe of those who had the adversity of a divine providence playing their lives like a deck of cards in a game of poker…

--

She could hear someone calling her name, it was distant and slightly hazy, as if her brain had been stuffed full of cotton, and she was just waking up from a deep sleep. She didn't want to wake up from her minds slumber; however, she knew good and well she wasn't asleep per say. It had been like this with her for days now. Anyone that knew her well enough or even those who didn't understood her drive and need to be more. Her sluggish actions during the summer's vacation concerned the people around her, but not the ones that mattered in her opinion. The same voice called out to her again and in instant she concentrated longer on her surroundings. The faint smell of oil, and musky condensed steam reached her nose.

The rough red brick wall she was leaning on scratched lightly at her skin as she impassively felt and watched people go by. Their body heat seemed to radiate and pool off and on to her intrusively making her clutch her hands into a small fist around the handle of her black school bag.

"Hermione?"

The hand that clamped down on her shoulder, more then the name being said snapped her back to a lone figure. He was handsome in her eyes with his red naturally rumbled hair, and the freckles that splayed across his face freely. Things she all liked about him and couldn't help but fall for each and every time…her Ronald. He quirked his lips slightly as he stared down at her and titled his head to the side sending her a funny look.

"Earth to Hermione. You all right?"

All she could do was nod and look back to the slowly thinning crowd around the Hogwarts express. Hermione instinctively looked back up at him and smiled brightly. This seemed to be enough for him and he draped an arm around her slim shoulders to steer them both towards the train. Hermione had been so lost in thought that she hadn't said goodbye to the Weasley clan, but that seemed fine at that moment as they walked side by side.

She was Hermione Granger, seventeen years old; she had a boy friend and was a war hero. What else could she ask for? Chitchatting and nagging came easily as she quickly settled back into the world she knew so well. Ron asked her about her head duties…

Head Duties…

Hermione's head popped up suddenly and she jerked out of Ron's protective grasp.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked startled at her violent movement.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I forgot that I have to meet Professor McGonagall in the head compartment to meet the head boy and find out our duties for the year." Hermione exclaimed suddenly. Her head really had been in the clouds, but she never thought something like this would skip her mind so easily.

"Oh, okay then, I'll see you in the prefects meeting then."

He bent down easily and too much of her surprise brushed his lips against hers gently before straightening and giving her a wink before strolling off. The blush on Hermione's face grew along with her indignity when she heard several soft giggles behind her.

"Don't linger in the passage ways! Get to a compartment now!"

The gaggle of girls stuttered a yes and ran away, frightened at the wrath that was Hermione Granger. She let out an exaggerated sigh before sweeping a hand through her finally tamed curls and headed to the front of the train where she was supposed to meet the new head boy. If you were to ask her how she was these days Hermione would smile happily and answer cheerfully that she couldn't be better. Despite the short stint where she seemed to withdraw from herself from the world. No one thought it out of the normal as was usual for her personality. It hadn't actually been until Ron, clumsily confessed his feelings out loud to her one day at the Weasley house, did she seem to pop out of her shell suddenly and begin to interact with everyone again.

If it did seem odd no one said anything aloud and let the peace continue. That is what people wanted these days, peace. All feelings aside for the moment Hermione slid open the compartment door to the head meeting cabin and took a seat. Her eyes downcast as her mind swirled with unspoken thoughts. She didn't bother to look up when she heard the door slide open again, but the voice that slipped from the intruders lips and caressed over her sent unpleasant chills down her spine. Hermione's eyes slowly ascended to the form leaning against the doors entryway starting at the highly polished black leather shoes, to the carefully pressed, pleated slacks, to the dark green and silver trimmed uniform over vest that framed a broad chest and topped off a head full of shiny blond almost white hair.

"Malfoy…" Hermione hissed out.

"Mudblood…" He answered with just as much distaste if not more so. She rolled her slightly widened eyes and turned to look out the window.

"Why are you here Malfoy?"

He entered and sat down easily, that suggested a lifetime of high quality breeding.

"Oh, did I say you could speak to me?" he scoffed and had the decency to look offended.

Her head wiped back around and her mouth hung open slightly as she took in his pristine image at that moment. Of course everyone had heard the news of his family so it came to no surprise to her the sound of laughter bubbled up from her chest and surpassed her lips with no attempt to stop. Draco snarled at the sound as she tossed her head back and laughed almost mockingly.

"Stop kidding, Malfoy!" she said through half hearted suppressed giggles. "Sorry, but you sitting there like your something important!"

This brought on new waves of laughter and this time a stitch in her side made her bend forward, her hair falling freely in front of her face and hiding her eyes, which spilled over with tears.

"Shut up Granger," Draco said through gritted teeth. His anger was enough to make her laughter die down to shallow hiccups. Hermione didn't know what came over her as she pushed back the curtain of curls and lean forward, her forearm propped on her crossed leg.

"Tell me Malfoy. Does it make your blood boil knowing your no longer as high and mighty as a filthy mudblood," her words were drawn out and cutting with a very un – Hermione like glint in her eye. He sat back at that look and shifted his gaze to the window and watched the rapidly changing scenery of the countryside, never bothering to grace her with an answer. Hermione raised an eyebrow and leaned back composing herself quickly as she did the same as her riding companion. It hadn't dawned on her exactly what he was doing there, but then again she wasn't going to speak with him unless absolutely necessary, and in any case in would never be obligatory. Or she hoped at least…


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione and Draco didn't speak another word to each other the rest of the way back to Hogwarts. As much as she would have loved to hex Draco into the next century, she was also determined not to let him ruin her final year at Hogwarts with her best friends and her boyfriend. Hermione smiled to herself as she stared out the window, just the thought of seeing Ron and Harry soon was enough to ALMOST make the rest of the train ride bearable

Ron and Harry had been getting many appreciative glances from the female passerby's, the war although weighted heavily on their mental stability at times did their bodies good. Months of being on the move constantly as well as defending yourself against a few people here and there without the use of magic helped build that muscle. And Ron feeling he deserved some sort of reward for all the horrors he had witnessed the past two years was more than glad to put his masculinity on display for his classmates. Harry on the other hand never paid any mind to the people who thanked him for ridding the world of one of the most horrible monsters to have walked it, all he bothered to do was grunt as he stared out his window,only ever turning around when he could swear he saw those red eyes maliciously staring back at him only to look behind him and find nothing there. Ron smiled sympathetically at his friend who had seen better days even if most of them held heartbreak for him.

Harry had taken the war hardest, but then again it was known that if the Boy who Lived, lived again he would not be any better off than he left Voldemort. Not soon after the war he began having dreams of the people he loved lying motionless eyes wide in horror but empty all at the same time leaving only the shell of a person he once loved, all lying in a pile as if they were yesterday's trash and at the top of the pile it was always the same, **he** was always there alive and laughing wickedly before a flashing green light awoke Harry from his sleep. But even in the world of reality Harry wasn't fine, he'd hear the voices of those gone blaming him for not saving them. Hermione and Ron tried to explain that it was in his head and none of their friends dead or alive held him accountable for the deaths of anyone close to them. But all Harry did was shake his head.

"You're wrong, they hate me every day when I wake up he watches me and I hear their voices, I hear Lavender screaming and Cho crying Neville begging for his life and the his laughing his awful cackling in my head it's always in my head all the voices why won't they stop? Why can't they let me be?" Harry tried to cry he wanted to with all his soul but all that ever came out were dry sobs never a tear shed from his eyes he was broken it seemed far beyond repair.

To say their friend's condition wasn't affecting Ron and Hermione's relationship was a lie, instead of focusing their alone time together on enjoying the other's company and doing what any other young couple would do to pass the time away. They instead spoke of their ill friend and why his life had to be so unfortunate, especially because he deserved to be happy and live as normal a life as he could not one that was misfortune after misfortune. It bothered Ron to no end that instead of talking about them, Hermione only spent her days worried about Harry's well being, of course Ron cared deeply for his friend but he also knew that becoming miserable because of Harry wasn't going to do any good and Hermione was blind to the fact that she often worried herself sick from talking about Harry.

_"Gryffindors are supposed to be loyal to their friends Ronald"  
"So then I suppose I'm not your friend then right 'Mione"  
"How dare you even think that? You know that I love you it's just Harry is"  
"-Harry is living his life best bhe/b can so why don't you focus on us rather than him? You'd swear that it's him your going out with not me sometimes"  
"Don't be silly I can never love anyone as much as I love you babe"_

Hermione often wavered his attention with a kiss, but Harry was always in the back of her mind and it was obvious to Ron he never had her full attention anymore. So to have the attention of another woman, well various other women was a refreshing treat for the war hero. "Hello Ron!" Ravenclaw Susan Bones said quite enthusiastically after having been checking him out since they were on platform 9 and ¾. A rather attractive girl, Susan had caught Ron's eye from his fifth year but never anything that he gave much thought, but if she would give him the attention then he'd gladly oblige.

_No sense in being rude right?_

He thought as she asked him if he could help her carry her luggage to her cart leaving Harry alone in his thoughts and torments.

He was reliving the final battle for about the hundredth time since they had first settled down in their compartment, It's not that Harry wanted to he wanted to do anything _other_ than this. They had always talked about what life would be after they defeated Voldemort and went on to finish their last year of Hogwarts, the Golden Trio obviously thought something other then having a wall built between the three of them that neither knew was up or had any intention of breaking down either.

Always being the selfless one though, Harry felt worse for Ron and Hermione's relationship because he knew how his worrisome friend would get overly protective of him hence ruining the relationship she had been yearning for probably since they first met. Thinking it would be best to act as though he were fine for the sake of saving his best friend's relationship. Harry turned to speak to Ron for the first time since they had left the burrow to find he was gone.

"Maybe I really have lost my bloody mind." He said terrified of his thoughts that he had only been with Ron in his mind. Just then the compartment door flew open and there was Hermione.

"Harry!" She screamed out before wrapping her arms around him tightly causing Harry to wince slightly but force a laugh out all the same, because leave it to Hermione to act like she hasn't seen you in years when you've only been separated about an hour.

"Mione you're hurting me." Immediately Hermione let loose her death grip on her best friend when she reminded herself that Harry was still nursing wounds from the horrific final battle that was still fresh in most everyone's minds.

"Sorry didn't mean to hurt you, but I was doing rounds and I wanted to sneak a peek and visit you and Ron for a bit. By the way where is he?"

"I don't know, the loo maybe?" Hermione sighed.

"I suppose well tell him I came by I'll see you in the great hall, I love you Harry." She said kissing his cheek just as Draco and Blaise we passing by.

"I thought even YOU could do better than a mudblood Potter." Draco sneered as Blaise chuckled, before Hermione could open her mouth to come back with a witty remark about them having lost the war both were hit on their arms by a person hidden behind both males.

"Honestly Blaise you and Draco know nothing of manners, leave lovers be." Came a thick Spanish presumably Italian feminine accent. The small girl shoved her way out of the middle, before sticking her chin up in triumph and straightening her robes and staring back at Draco.

"And you, you denso maccabeo ignorante has this war meant nothing to you?! I would have thought that you having lost nearly all your familiare Draco Malfoy you would have at least kept your opiniones parziale to yourself!" The fiery brunette all but breathed fire at Draco as she huffed and crossed her arms under her chest angrily. Blaise went to try and calm her but all that was heard was their quite bickering in Italian which Hermione only understood bits and pieces like 'that idiot', 'kiss ass' and her favorite 'leccacazzi' which she had no clue what it meant but by the daggers that Draco had shot the small girl she knew she had to look it up as soon as she could.

"Blaise you might want to keep that smart mouth girl quiet, wouldn't want our fellow housemates to question where your loyalties lie now would you?" The small spitfire made an Italian gesture which everyone who saw knew what it meant before looking back to Blaise and staring at him in disgust then back to Hermione and Harry and smiling.

"Mi perdoni, I'm being very very rude. My name is Natalia and you are?" She said sticking her hand out warmly to Hermione and Harry only to be shot down.

"We don't need your help to keep these fools on check, we've done it for seven years and we can do it for 50 more that is if they make it that far." Hermione sneered. Harry for the most part just stared.

"Well obviously English people all know nothing of manners or that a simple thank you would suffice instead of insults. Io sonno spiacente per tentare, trying to be nice to people like you." The girl clenched her fist to keep from shoving Hermione and turned to leave the compartment where Draco and Blaise were guarding the door.

"Si muova o io la faro male addeso ambo cretini!" She screamed, shoving them with as much strength she had in her, which was surprisingly high to everyone except Blaise who moved before being struck. She stormed off muttering Italian insults to most everyone who passed her way until she was finally out of ear shot was the attention brought back to Hermione and Harry.

"Now Granger wouldn't want the weasel to find you in such a precarious position would you now? Or is this all some little arrangement between the three of you? Gods you're all some sick fucks you know that?" Hermione was tired of the insults and Draco questioning her fidelity so she pulled out her wand and stabbed it into his neck.

"Leave now before I decide that hurting you is worth losing my head girl badge." Draco looked her square in the eye and caught her bluff.

"You don't have it in you Granger not even against someone like me, your pathetic can't even defend yourself, do it see if I care come on Granger I dare you." Draco grabbed her wand and pushed it painfully into his throat to the point that he was making himself wheeze, everyone else who was witnessing this couldn't believe him and Hermione had no choice but to back down and move her wand, leaving the indentation of it behind. Draco looked at her disgusted and laughed. "I was hoping you'd prove me wrong mudblood maybe another day." That being said he slammed the compartment door shut and him and Blaise were gone. Hermione felt the anger surge through her veins why had she not been able to hurt Malfoy? The Ferret had it coming! He deserved what she could dish out and so much more for them torment that he had placed her and her friends through. Why couldn't she find the courage in her to hurt him?

"what did he mean by maybe another day? Do you think he wants you to hurt him?" Harry asked confused.

"I wouldn't doubt it he probably wants me expelled from Hogwarts"

"Why were you being so rude to that girl that defended us?" Harry continued on, the small Italian had grabbed his attention Hermione could tell. It's not that the girl was ugly or rude, on the contrary she had been polite and was very beautiful. She had big brown almond shaped eyes that seemed to hypnotize you like a cat's would. They had gone darker when she got angry and stormed off, not because of the pupil's dilating Hermione actually saw the iris of her eyes start to lighten from surprise then darken and become almost black when she had insulted her by not accepting the handshake. Black hair that cascaded around her face in layers and stopped mid back in rolling waves that bounced and looked feather light. That much Hermione was envious of. Why is it every other girl with hair like hers had it so controlled and beautiful but hers always looked like she had stuck her finger in an electrical outlet? Her nose was a small button nose and her mouth was full and luscious that gave off beautiful smiles. Without a doubt she would be one of the most chased after girls this year. Not that Hermione cared much because Ron was hers and he wouldn't gaze at another girl while with her. Harry worried her though, because leave it to him to have a pretty girl breathe in a little life but not just any girl. Watching the way her and Blaise had interacted and spoke led to only one conclusion in the Gryffindor's mind

"Don't get to ahead of yourself Harry"

"What are you talking about"

"I saw the way you were ogling her"

"I was not"

"Nothing to be ashamed of but I'm trying to protect you from getting hurt anymore"

"And how are you protecting me"

"It's so obvious you liked her! Just quit while your ahead"

"Why"

"Because she's Blaise's girlfriend." Harry's jaw dropped and he sputtered out.

"H-H-How do you know that"

"It's only obvious in the way she talked to him and Draco do you think just any other female could scowl at them like that and get away with it? The only reason Draco didn't say more was because Blaise is his best friend and he wants to keep it like that, well I'm sorry to cut our chit chat short but I have to get dressed into my school robes now see you later Harry." One more death grip on Harry and Hermione was gone.

This had been the longest Harry had gone without the voices on his head or Voldemort at his side and it eased him some, he waited for Ron to come back from wherever he went to.

_"The mudblood is right Harry you'll never stand a chance with that beautiful girl, stick to filthy blood traitors or muggles, we needn't tarnish pureblood any more."_ Harry jumped and stared around the cabin.

"Where are you?!"

_"Right here can't you see me? My my Harry something just isn't quite right with you is it?"_

"Just leave me alone." Harry rubbed his eyes hard with the heels of his palm and shook his head covering his ears. "I killed you you're dead you're dead just go away." Voldemort continued to laugh maniacally and Harry did the first thing that came to mind.

He ran.

Not far though just enough to get him out of the cabin before he ran into someone and they both fell to the floor.

"Quello che I'inferno?!" Harry's attempts to get off the person beneath him who to Harry seemed small still and had to be a fourth or fifth year stilled and his eyes met deep espresso colored eyes who seemed just as surprised as him.

"Are you OK?" She asked wiggling herself out from under him, before he had finally gotten the clue to stand up so she could also. Holding his hand out to help her she stared at it then at him before taking it.  
"I'm fine but how are you I'm pretty sure after getting tackled in the hall by a guy my size must not be to pleasant." She smirked at him and struck her chin up defiantly.  
"I'm perfectly fine and you're pretty sure of yourself aren't you?"

"What? No! I'm just saying that there's a big size difference and I got a little winded when I fell on you." She laughed and smiled at him.

"Well no need to worry I'm fine, having Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy as your only playmates for many years toughens you up"

"Yeah I'd imagine that." Harry said darkly. They started walking back to Harry's cabin making small chitchat along the way.

"So how come I've never seen you around Hogwarts before? Are you new or did I just never pay you any mind?" Harry asked awkwardly trying to check her out, she noticed and held back laughter as she shook her head.

"I've come as a transfer student."

"Ah I see now, so what year are you in?" Harry continued slowing the pace because he could see them nearing their destination and even if he knew that she was already with another he couldn't bring himself to not feel attracted to or want to spend some time talking with the girl. He didn't care what Hermione said or eveni him /iHarry was going to go with the flow and even if it would lead to nothing, she was taking his mind away from the voices and hallucinations and this was all Harry needed to be happy.

"My final"

"Aren't you sad because you can't be with your friends for your last year of school?" The girl shook her head.

"No not really because if they are my friends than one year attending a different school will make no difference to my friendships I don't mind meeting new people either although I know many from this... What's it called? Slytherin." Harry turned into his cabin expecting her to wave good-bye and leave but she stayed standing at the door to continue her story.

"They aren't very pleasant people to talk to. Especially this female named Pansy, every time we speak it's like nails on a chalkboard for me." Harry fought back the laughter in his throat and offered her Ron's seat which was still vacant.

"Why are you alone? Isn't your girlfriend going to sit with you"

"She's not my girlfriend." Harry said quickly.

"Oh I'm sorry but earlier when I saw the way you to were embracing then later when she snapped at me because I was certain she saw me looking at you I thought it was obvious that you were... How you say? _innamorate"_

"Huh?" Natalia chuckled and translated.

"Lovers"

"GOD NO!" She couldn't hold back her laughter and nearly fell off her seat atr the look of horror all over Harry's face.

"Well I guess that's a good thing then isn't it?" She said once she calmed down leaning dangerously closer to Harry until he was positive she was going to jump into his lap. He fidgeted nervously and looked side to side to see if anyone was watching them before he whispered back.

"What about Blaise?" She smiled deviously.

"He needn't know my business if I needn't know his."

"What do you mean? You two cheat on each other frequently or what?!" Harry said getting ahead of himself causing the girl to forget her earlier come ons and begin to get hysterical.

"Cheating?! On Blaise? Quale e sbagliato con Lei?! Penso tutto di sangre puro sappia come fare e 'tenerlo puro?' Lei maiale stupido, I **AM** a Zabini. Blaise's cousin to be exact"

"I don't believe you." Harry said stupidly. The girl shot him a mock look of surprise before digging in her purse and pulling out a cardholder and throwing her ID at him.

"Read it for yourself Natalia Josephine Zabini!" She said still angry but having calmed down a bit, Harry watched to wear her finger was pointing and paid more attention to the fact that she had given herself a nice manicure then to the proof that she was indeed Blaise's cousin.

"I have no reason to lie to you, and as of now we also have no reason to speak. I thought you were different than other rude Englishmen I had already met but I see now you're not. If it isn't because I'm a woman and your kind assume we're worthless and only serve to produce you an heir, it's because I'm of pure blood and you think that I'm incestuous or that I deserve the same treatment as people who had the views and morals of a man who he himself was of 'tarnished' blood. Know this I am of one mind, my own and I don't take the opinions of others and makes them my own or my lifestyle of living, and I would have expected that after having to deal with so much hatred that 'The Great' Harry Potter 'The Boy Who Lived' and everyone's savior would have at least itried/i to accept others regardless of the past. You scoffed and scowled and fought with my cousin and his friends for years over how they treated you, but look at how you and your friend treated me. We continue down this path then our victory over Voldemort was in vain because the next in line will learn from his mistakes and seed even more hatred into our hearts. Ciao." She said as she walked out of the compartment shaking her head and looking back at him sadly and disappointed. He had known she spoke more truth then he wanted to hear but Rome wasn't built in a day and his views couldn't change at the drop of a hat or on the whim of some beautiful girl who made him feel good.

Natalia's ID gave him a small cut and he looked down to see he still had it, yet it was in Italian so all he understood was her name and age which was 17. He pocketed her ID as a hope that when he gave it back she would talk to him and accept his apology.

Just as Harry was getting comfortable again and had changed into his school robes, Ron came in a dumb look on his face and a little pep in his step. Harry found it odd that after not seeing him for basically the whole train ride that Ron had still managed to come back and get his school robes without Harry noticing.

"When did you change?" Harry asked and Ron stared at him white as a sheet in surprise.

"Are you talking now?" "Are you bloody daft? Of course I'm talking now when did you change if you left your school robes here." Ron looked at Harry a small sign of guilt was on his face but was washed away seconds later.

"I came in and you were gone I'd figured you went to use the loo and grabbed my school robes because I was with Hermione." Harry smiled uncomfortably at the thought of what they were doing together.

"That would explain that huge hickey on you neck." Harry laughed as Ron turned red and left again muttering some flimsy excuse . He was sitting calmly and began to see the telltale signs that they were closing in on Hogwarts, shortly after the school on top of the mountain came into view and Harry felt relief wash over him. The school still standing was more then enough to comfort him but the fact that as the war raged on and this school was the Order's safe haven it felt like coming home and he still couldn't grasp that after this year he would no longer have a place to go to. He sighed as the train pulled to a stop and waited until he was certain all the people were off before grabbing his own trunk and making his way up the school. With many students having lost their lives to the war or others who were sent to Azkaban Harry knew this year would be different and that not even the first years were innocent anymore.

_What is innocence any ways_

Harry thought as he saw Malfoy and Hermione fight over who should go into the Heads' carriage first.

_translations for italian used in this chapter_

_denso maccabeo ignorante – dense ignorant fool._

_ familiare - family _

_opiniones parziale – partial opinions _

_Mi perdoni – forgive me_

_ Io sonno spiacente per tentare – I'm sorry for even trying _

_Si muova o io la faro male addeso ambo cretini – move now or i'll hurt you both right now assholes _

_Quello che I'inferno – what the hell?  
Innamorati – Lovers _

_Quale e sbagliato con Lei?! Penso tutto di sangre puro sappia come fare e 'tenerlo puro?' Lei maiale stupido - What is wrong with you?! Do you think all of pure blood know how to do is "keep it pure?" You stupid pig_


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione swept a lock of hair from her flushed face and huffed in frustration. Draco Malfoy could be a right git when he wanted to and it appeared that he wanted to be all the time. He like her stared out the window of the head carriage and watched the slowly bouncing scenery pass by. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment and wondered what she did to deserve to get stuck with the all might Slytherin King as head boy. Just what was the school board thinking when they assigned it to the son of a death eater? If she were looking for peaceful times ahead she was in for a real eye opener. Not only had she not seen Ron on her rounds, but also there was that girl…Hermione didn't get her name and she had no real reason other then the title of Slytherin attached to her to dislike her.

"So, Malfoy, who was that girl with you and Zabini on the train?" Hermione asked evenly, still not looking at him. Draco raised an eyebrow and gave her form an appraising look.

"Why should it matter?" he muttered as he turned his attention back to the window and kept from rolling his eyes when he heard her sigh.

"Listen, Malfoy-," she started but stopped when he glared at her.

"No, you listen, Granger. I don't want to be friendly and I don't want to have anything to do with you more then I already have to. So if we can cut the chitchat then I think this will go smoothly. All right?" She raised an eyebrow at him and nodded in compliance

"Fine, Malfoy, I just don't want to have to carry you work load this year." Hermione received no answer however and that was fine by both parties. A grateful silence hung thick around them as they continued on the path to the school.

--

Harry had his eyes closed as with his hand stuck in his pockets as they traversed the rocky pathway to the school. It didn't interest him anymore…he had seen the same scene six years straight. He knew that Hogwarts stood there in one piece, and he had no desire to open his eyes and remember that day…

Even now as he tried his hardest to block out those mental images of what happened. People from both sides of the war lying in the aftermath of battle some still barely, vainly clinging to life crying out weakly in their own blood. Harry didn't remember much about the events that took place after he killed Voldemort, but…he clearly could hear the remnants of itheir/i voices. Begging…pleading…for life or death something to relieve the pain.

He sighed clenched his teeth together hard as the cries that never really left his head rose.

Fragmented images flashed in his subconscious and there it was. Blood, running down the slight incline of one of the many hills, past his face. Sweat dripped into his unblinking eyes as he lay in the deep grass of the somewhat near silent field. The metallic smell mingled sharply with the musky early morning dew. He oddly couldn't react to it at all. In his line of sight he could see scattered bodies, many unmoving, but one held his attention closely. Red hair clung wetly to a sickly pale face, and deep brown eyes stared emptily into the dark sky.

A hand on his shoulder jolted him sudden from the scene in front of his eyes and back to reality in less then a breath's span, and he was looking at Ron's curious face.

"You all right mate?" Harry nodded his head reluctantly and his attention was once again averted to something in his pocket. It was hard plastic and thin and he remembered the person it belonged to.

Natalia…

That was a person he could see approaching with caution. She seemed delightful to be around, and very charming in every way possible. But then again he wasn't in the right frame of mind to openly except people. Harry knew he would have to give the I.D card back soon, but the opportune time was the question. Ron's attention was drawn away from his war weary friend and to a cute blond petite sixth year that giggled delicately and flushed at something he said.

Harry ignored this however and took the slim plastic card out of his pocket to look down at the picture. His calloused thumb rubbed over the shiny surface as he studied the girl's features. Her dark wavy locks only complimented her smooth flawless features. Even in simple picture she her eyes held something akin to sincerity and smoldered darkly as if looking straight through him. It threw him off slightly though to find that a pureblood of the Zabini family carried a muggle identification card.

The sudden halt jerked him out of his musing and when he looked up he saw Ron and the sixth year had already departed with out word. Everyone was used to his constantly changing moods. One minute he would talk as if there was a care in the world and the next he was closed off from everyone around him. Usually this phenomenon occurred in larger crowds. Sighing he stuck the card back in his pocket and exited the carriage with his hands loosely in his slacks.

He titled his head back slightly and looked up at the white, bright moon, barely aware of a few of his school mates stopping or faltering their trek to look at him and whisper. Closing his eyes again he breathed in deeply and grunted at the mossy smell that wafted off the lake the evening breeze carried. He was relieved that the smell of blood and death had left this place…the only haven he had left after the war. Even though the main battle took place here and many lost their lives in protecting the seemingly sacred oasis.

He became aware of many eyes on him now at his still form, and many where of the female population. Harry flicked his eyes over to a group of females standing on the edge of the stone steps leading to the grand entry way as they whispered frantically in a hushed tone when his gaze fell on them.

Harry knew perfectly well that his status as the boy – who – live and fought he – should – not – be named then lived again. He was also aware of his physical appearance now and how it appealed the right gender…and even to the not so right gender. His crisp white school uniform clung to his torso just right and he was devoid of the regulation gray vest. The top couple of buttons of his button up shirt were undone and his necktie hung loosely against his chest. Harry had rolled up the sleeves to just under his elbows and his shirt was untucked.

His slightly slouched posture and presence radiated aloofness, which ultimately translated to being…i'cool.'/i He pulled a hand free from his pocket and brushed back the long bangs from his eyes. Harry had to admit to himself that he had let his wild hair do just that…go wild. The back of his hair brushed lightly at the nap of his neck as he pushed his hand all the way through his thick locks. The girls were still whispering when he heaved a silent sigh and turned started to walk up the steps. He choose to ignore it all and hoped the night would come to a quick end.

--

Hermione's head pounded painfully behind her eyes as she listened to Malfoy bitch about yet another thing due to Head Duties. They were currently walking to the shared head dorms and he was behind her muttering dark nasty things under his breath. With each sound that passed his lips it grated on Hermione's nerves making her head grow constantly worse. Her eyes were half lidded and her hands balled tightly at her side as she tried to concentrate on the sound of the dull thuds her shoes made in the empty hall.

McGonagall had told them to go on with out her giving the excuse she just had too much work to do. With password and instructions in hand they had been dismissed.

Finally the grumbling she couldn't take anymore and she stopped suddenly in her tracks and turned sharply around squinting at the blond boy who stared at her impassively. He raised an eyebrow when she raised a slightly trembling finger and pointed in his face.

"Malfoy," she whispered out dangerously. Taking a breath she calmed her irritation and borderline rage so she could continue on. "If you have a problem. I will gladly talk to Professor McGonagall and see what can be arranged to take you off of head duties."

Her voice shook and the feeling of knifes stabbing her in the eyeballs made her wince when she was done talking. He then smirked at her and walked past her without a word. She held her position, but lowered her hand as he brushed by and looked at her out of the corner of his eye, that damned smirk still on his face. Hermione furrowed her brow at his sudden change in mood and wondered if he was plotting something. You could never be sure about a Malfoy especially one that has gone through what he had. Shaking her head Hermione turned tiredly back around and shuffled her feet despondently to the head dorms to find the door wide open.

Growling slightly she pushed it the rest of the way open and went straight to her room to change for bed with out a thought of the blond stuck up. Hermione sighed as she stripped from her school uniform and into a pair of her boxer shorts and tank top. Picking up a book from her trunk, which just happened to be lying on top, was 'Hogwarts: A History.' Settling down in her bed she sighed again at the plush and cozy feeling it gave her. Finally satisfied she smiled and opened the worn book to a marked page somewhere in the middle and began to read contentedly.

For the first couple of minutes it hadn't been a problem, but her attention started to ebb slowly. Her mind drifted and thoughts whirled around in her head faster then she could process through them. Things like Harry, and Ron…the war and everyone that had suffered or lost something. The Weasley's had been hit particularly hard with the death of two children and one missing, Hermione didn't know how Mrs. Weasley was dealing with it all. They still hadn't found out what had killed Fred, but it had been obvious that the killing curse had been used on Ginny. It had been that, that had sent Harry ultimately over the edge, or so it was in Hermione's analytical opinion.

They were almost not even able to identify Fred. They had tried to keep George from seeing the nearly dismembered body, but he had gotten through in the end. Everyone didn't want to let him see the body just in case it had been him before identification could be confirmed. It tore at her heart in two when she couldn't hear anything from George's still form and she couldn't stand there any longer when he collapsed to his knees and only stared blankly. He didn't allow anyone to come near him for the rest of the day and eventually had to be sedated when he became violent with one of the nurses.

Hermione closed her eyes and stood from her bed suddenly she needed to get away from those thoughts. They were done and gone something none of them could afford to dwell on. How ever cold it seemed…it was merely the reality of it all. Something they had all known going into it and something they had to be burdened carrying with them if they lived. She silently padded to the shared common room and without looking up sat in front of the roaring fire that seemed to be waiting for her.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her bare legs and nestled her chin against her knees. The heat from the flames licked at her cool skin making her cheeks flare up in a pink hue. She could feel her eyelids slowly grow heavy the longer she sat there and she nearly jumped out of her skin when a deep baritone voice rumbled throughout the room. Hermione's head snapped up and around to look at Malfoy's relaxed profile.

"I see you can't sleep either…like I care however,"

Whe could tell he tried to make his words bite, but the lack of energy to insult was evident. For the first time since seeing him on the train his usually schooled features were haggard and drawn. The weight of reality could plainly be seen on his face and in his posture. Hermione couldn't help but let her gaze wonder over his face slowly and study his appearance.

The bangs of his bleach blond hair hung into his eyes, and she noticed with some appreciation for his looks that the back was trimmed neatly, giving him a fresh look. The glow that the fire cast over him made his hair flicker in unsteady shades of red and orange. Her eyes followed the strong line of his jaw and down the column of his neck and she blushed despite herself to see his shirt unbuttoned nearly all the way down. Giving her the perfect view of his defined chest and abs. There wasn't a flaw or mark on his skin and looked just as smooth as the material of his silk shirt.

She heard him cough and when her eyes blatantly traveled up to his face he was smirking again. All traces of what true emotions he might of possessed were gone in that instant. Hermione blushed a deeper shape of red as her eyes widened slightly and she looked away.

"Like what you see, Granger?" He asked mockingly. She closed her eyes in embarrassment of actually being caught checking the spawn of Satan out.

"Absolutely not!" Hermione said indignantly and was mortified to hear the pitch change in her voice. Malfoy only chuckled softly and she couldn't help swallow shallowly.

"Well, I think you did. I've seen to many women look at me the same way and end up in my bed the same night," he practically purred at her. Hermione looked at him instantly fully intent on saying something nasty in return for the innuendo, but when her eyes locked on his her breath stopped short in her throat. Something burned there in the depths of the slowly swirling steel pools that rendered her speechless. He gave her a one sided grin.

"Hm…I knew it." He said.

There…the spell had been broken and she stood in a huff and turned away from his triumphant chuckling. She was halfway across the room when she felt a hand clamp down on her wrist and she was spun around. A body pinned her against a near by wall and the wind was momentarily knocked out of her. Her mouth opened slightly as she looked up at Malfoy hovering dangerously close. Warning flags started to go off in her head instantly at the intent gaze her cast on her.

"I don't think I was done talking, Granger."

"I think you were, Malfoy," she said breathlessly despite herself. His smirk disappeared slowly and a scowl followed soon after.

"Don't think yourself better then me, Granger. Do you have any idea what I'm going through?" Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly and returned the question with a frown of her own.

"Do you have any idea what we are going through? What everyone that was there had to deal with? You…all you've got to deal with are people saying a few bad things about you. Well reality check I've dealt with that everyday for the past six years…" She looked to the side and closed her eyes with a sigh. "If you're looking for pity. Maybe you should look at yourself before wanting any sympathy from those who really deserve it." When she looked up at him through a few stray curls he held no expression on his face any longer. Everything about him was empty and she had to hold back a grimace.

"Pity huh? Is that what you think I want?" He asked in a hollow voice. She studied his face with an unsure look before nodding. "I see…"

Malfoy took a step back and walked to the couch where he sat down once again. The silence that followed was thick but she took it as her chance to get out of the room. The first time in many years she didn't hate Malfoy but his actions just lead her into confusion. Brushing it off she had her own things to worry off…and it came in the form of a six foot tall, red head, with blue eyes.

--

Harry couldn't sleep. It was that simple, why? He had insomnia. The answer to why that was, was simple too. So he found himself under his invisibility cloak and out of the walls of Hogwarts easily. When he neared the black lake he slipped the cloak from over him self and sat down comfortably against a curved root near the water.

His fingers idly fingered the wand that he had pulled out of his back pocket. Despite the cool night air he still only wore the simple white button up shirt, but with his sleeves rolled down. Without thinking or giving it much thought he was up in the blink of an eye, when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise, and found his wand pointing dangerously into someone's throat. It wasn't digging into the skin but it was close enough to be known they weren't getting free.

"Well, is this the greeting I get for coming to get back something that belongs to me?" Harry squinted his eyes slightly at the sweet feminine voice that floated gently to him caressed his ears. He leaned in slightly and his eyes adjusted to the natural light of the evening.

"Natalia?" He asked a little unsure. He felt a finger push away his wand and he could finally make out her blank stare.

"The one and only," she said flatly. Harry merely grunted and sat back down slowly not arguing when she followed suit.

"So what are you doing out this late? If a professor catches you, you'll get detention for sure," he said after a moment as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye and he raised an eyebrow at the mischievous grin on her face as she looked over the lake.

"What about you? Or is the famous Harry Potter excluded from all school rules?" She finally looked his way and he met her gaze evenly.

"No…" He drawled out. "I just don't care if I'm caught." There was no hint of snobbishness in his tone or suggestion that he was trying to sound cool.

"Ah, the rebellious type huh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. He merely shrugged and stuck his hand in his pocket to pull out her I.D.

"Here." Natalia took it and continued to study him and looked about ready to say something when Harry beat her to it.

"Listen, I'm sorry for what I said on the train. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was calling you a liar," he looked back to the lake and twirled his wand between his fingers.

"I jump to the wrong conclusion a lot of the time and I just wanted to let you know its nothing personal." Natalia nodded.

"of course not. I can't expect you to be perfect. Your only human after all."

"Well I would have to argue with you on that," Harry paused momentarily and held up his free hand in her direction. "These hands…their…. stained, and tainted. I can honestly say they are no longer the same innocent hands that held this wand almost six and half years ago." He mumbled out.

Natalia looked down at her lap.

"Well, no one is innocent anymore," she said softly. "We've all had to endure and do things we haven't wanted to."

When Harry looked back at her he saw something that could be seen clearly on every young persons face now a days. The war had changed this generation for the worst, but with them it would end and hopefully never come again. Not another word was said when she stood and made her way slowly back to the school leaving Harry to contemplate things on his own messed up head.


	4. Chapter 4

An alarm clock rang through the head girl's bedroom who's first instinct was to hit the snooze button for an extra two minutes of rest, when the alarm rang a second time she knew if she pushed snooze again then she wouldn't wake up for another half an hour so she regretfully and angrily pulled herself out of bed and grabbing a towel made her way slowly to the bathroom.

Still half asleep she didn't acknowledge that there was another presence in the bathroom until the self proclaimed sex god of Slytherin turned on the sink causing her to spin around and wake up for a few seconds.

"I hope your not thinking about making it a habit to walk in on me while I'm taking a piss mud blood." Her normally quick wit still half asleep Hermione barely registered that he had spoken and didn't notice at all when she found herself staring at his naked upper body. Draco on the other hand was fully aware that he was getting ogled by the more asleep then awake Granger, he couldn't keep his eyes from following her form either though. She was clad in only a tank top that was riding dangerously low to her cleavage and a pair of boy shorts that left very little to the imagination. Both teenagers were so consumed with the other's body that when Draco's alarm began buzzing both jumped back and shook their heads to get any prior thoughts out before speaking.

"Get out Malfoy the quicker I take a shower the faster I can leave." She shot daggers at Draco who only sneered in disgust at the thought of a naked Hermione in the bathroom he'd have to use for the rest of the year, even if only moments earlier his teenage hormones had gotten the better of him and he ALMOST admitted that Granger wearing next to nothing had to be one of the more hotter things he'd ever seen in his young adult life.

"I have a better idea Granger how about you and your mop headed bucktooth self get your ass back to your little tarnished room and wait until **I** am done showering then you can come and mud this place up with all your filth, with any luck maybe you'll actually manage to get some of that ugly filth out of your body." He smirked as all Hermione who had left her wand on her night stand wished nothing less then to turn him into a ferret again and drown him in the toilet but settled for dropping her towel and starting the shower water. "That's so kind of you, but i don't need you help mudblood." Hermione didn't answer didn't even care to look at him merely made sure the water was at a hot temperature before grabbing her bathing necessities and opening the glass door to the shower organizing her things on the shower floor causing Malfoy to subconsciously check out her ass and lick his lips in appreciation. He shook his head and tried to rile her up again.

"Granger I know you're dying to know what it'd be like to see me naked but I'm serious get out of the bathroom so I can shower and take your shit with you I don't care for your muggle conventions." Hermione stared at him and rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"You really are as ignorant as you let on." she turned back around and started pulling her tank off before Draco stopped her.

"What the _bloody hell_ do you think you're doing?!" He screamed in shock, tired of this silly game Hermione turned around and pushed him toward his room.

"Trying to take a shower and I don't give a right damn if you're going to watch as much as voyeurism disgusts me I refuse to be late to my first class of the year just because you fancy to shower before me so get out now!" She shoved a still shocked draco out and slammed the door in his face locking it and threatening to castrate him if he even thought of unlocking the door while she was still in there.

She leaned against the door a second before undressing and stepping into the scolding hot water that pelted her sore body making her sigh inwardly.

_By the end of the year one of us is going to be dead. _

Hermione closed her eyes and forced herself to stop thinking about Malfoy.

_Even if he did look so damn good_

She shot her eyes open in shock

"What the hell was that?!" She screamed at herself

_Well It's true! I mean not even Ron who's a keeper looks like that!_

"Not true Ron could pummel him in a heartbeat!" She said to herself angrily as she cleaned her body and was rinsing off.

_I never said he couldn't, but it's just Ron is much to bulky now_

"There's nothing wrong with that." Hermione continued arguing with her hair as she quickly shampooed her hair.

_It doesn't suit your taste and you know it damn well if Ron had stopped while his body looked like Draco's it would have been perfection_

Hermione sighed hating to admit even if it only was to her subconscious that Draco was extremely good looking but that was no excuse for thinking about him, especially in the shower. She finished her shower hastily and stepped into her room after unlocking the door to Draco's room and rushing to her own slamming it shut.

Hermione was gone when Draco came out of his room as groomed as ever. Not feeling in the mood to deal with the stares and the whispers that were bound to be spoken not just this year but the rest of his life, he lazily walked out of the room and strolled through the corridors that were less taken and simply killing time until breakfast was over. Lost in his thoughts about nothing at all he found his mind remembering the way Hermione looked in the bathroom, her hair albeit frizzy and probably full of knots had a certain sex appeal to it and the body that had to be hidden beneath those robes was nothing like Draco expected.

_What does it matter how she looks she's a filthy mudblood and no matter how she looks she'll never be good enough. _

With that Draco shut himself up and stuck his head up arrogantly as he started strolling towards his first class of the day, until the site of familiar red hair in a corner caught his attention.

It was the weasel snogging some girl senseless, but Draco could make out that it wasn't Hermione because this girl seemed a bit smaller probably from a different year. A knowing look spread on Draco's face as he decided to taunt Ron. He cleared his throat loudly breaking up the couple. Upon seeing her face Draco knew exactly who Ron was trying to score with on the dark end of the corridor.

"Well look at that a weasel at his best." Draco remarked, Ron unsure of what to say hid Susan behind him and glared at the one person he wished he could have fought against during the final battle.

"Sod off Malfoy this isn't any of your business."

"True as that is, I never knew you could be so low as to cheat on a woman I fuck around too, but I make sure they know it's no strings attached, because then I'd end up in predicaments much like yours, I mean what if just one day out of nowhere it happens to SLIP out of my mouth and I ACCIDENTLY tell Granger I saw you snogging the hell out of poor little Susie back there? Hey Susan how you doing?" Susan turned scarlet and looked away not answering wishing that she could just disappear.

"You wouldn't!" Ron stalked towards Draco, but Draco's composure stayed the same and when Ron grabbed his robes to hit him Draco grabbed the fist ready to hit and twisted it behind his back.

"Listen to me traitor I could care less what the fuck you do if you wanna fuck other bitches and keep going out with the mudblood far be it for to stop you but I'm not the kid I was 6 years ago I don't cower I've seen things that you couldn't imagine in your worst nightmares what you went through was a picnic compared to the punishments endured by the followers of Voldemort who failed at the smallest thing, so go on, go get your rocks off and be done with it just don't be late for class I am still Head boy." Draco sneered before pushing him into the wall picking up his books up off the floor and continuing down the corridor in silence putting the recent event in the back of his mind leaving his mind blank and just enjoying the silence and the dark, it was where he felt most comfortable in the silence away from the screams and the cursed green flash that he hoped to god he'd never see again. Away from people who he once trusted and respected that proved to him that the only person that anyone ever cares about is themselves. Yes the darkness was his ally and the silence his friend the only other things in the world that made him feel not so tainted in the blood of innocent people whom never had the chance to survive in the snake pit that was Voldermort's wrath.

Draco sat in the silence and did nothing but stare out into the darkness, and counted the minutes until the first bell even if he didn't want to have to deal with a class full of self-righteous gryffindors looking down at him, feeling completely justified at the knowledge that many of their classmates and their parents had perished at their wands.

_Why were they chosen not to endure this hell on earth? _

He thought for the millionth time, sighing heavily.

Dining in the Great Hall was an odd sensation for everyone who lived through the war and were old enough to have known those lost. The enormity of those no longer here was put into perspective when classmates looked around at the nearly half barren room, that only the year prior at this time was bustling with so many young faces full of life and potential, only barely getting ready to set foot into the world, yet now all that was left were the young ones, the hope of a brighter tomorrow and the war ravaged few who vowed to themselves to make sure this would never happen again.

Hermione sat alone, not by force but by preference she hadn't spoken to her friends since the final battle ended and everyone went their own separate ways. Yes she did get owls at home from Neville and Luna who were only trying to wish her well and hoping that she may respond but she only read the letters and tucked them away under her mattress telling herself to tell them both that perhaps the owls in the wake of such madness had forgotten where she lived because she hadn't received any letters at all during what was left of their summer. Yet neither approached her as she entered the Great Hall merely gave her a curt nod and went on their own way discussing whatever it had been they were conversing about before she entered.

At first she looked for Harry but saw he was nowhere to be seen she asked some young Grffyindors if they had seen him but they merely shook there heads and said they hadn't seen him since they arrived at Hogwarts the night before. It was expected she assumed that he wouldn't want to face any more publicity. He was tired of it and he deserved to be at peace for once in his life.

Then she set to look after Ron, but again came to a dead end when one of the Gryffindors said he saw him still sleeping when he left. Hermione had to smile though because that was her Ron always sleeping or eating, and if it wasn't either of those he was usually always for certain playing quidditch or wizard's chess with someone. At ease with the boy's explanation she set about looking from table to table. All had many empty spots but Slytherin looked almost deserted, for most had either died or after their parents were killed or sent to Azkaban they were sent to live with distant relatives, so as to maybe grasp onto a grain of normalcy instead of the life of shunning and glares they'd have lived had they stayed.

Putting half an orange on her plate Hermione merely poked at it with her fork while she kept observing Slytherin's table, looking for familiar faces of people who made her life miserable the past years she had attended.

Pansy was next to Blaise and the girl who Harry had become infatuated with, she noted however that the girl wasn't in the least bit interested in Blaise on the contrary, she seemed to be avoiding talking to him and if he spoke to her she'd merely nod or shake her head giving as short a response as she could.

_such an odd relationship._

The only other familiar faces Hermione saw were Theodore Nott, Millicent Bulstrode and Vincent Crabbe, who seemed to be only a shell of the Neanderthal he once was.

She remembered clearly what happened to Goyle that fateful night.

_The bodies were piling up much to quickly and Hermione forced herself not to get distracted as much as she wanted to make sure that none of them were dear friends, even if she knew that she would not be so lucky which fueled her even more not to look. She threw a stunning curse quickly and ran into the school deciding it would be best to find Harry and help him look for the final horocrux. Hermione's legs carried her quickly past several of her fallen comrades, and she ignored the still burning need to look down at the blurred faces below her. Her breath came out in short pants as her legs screamed for her to stop and rest, but she pushed past her discomfort and continued until she was past the place where the great double doors of Hogwarts once stood. _

_The remnants of the heavy oak doors lay scattered in the entryway, and beyond that the battle raged on with a terrifying force. Hermione could see more bodies' drop one after another, adding still to the death toll. Her feet finally came to a stop and she looked around as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She could feel that something was coming. _

_Then something changed on the battlefield before her; the side of dark slowly started to back down, and the air around them seemed to still as if the wind itself was being blocked. Hermione could feel the ground start to shake, it wasn't unsettling enough to make her lose her balance, but it vibrated up through the stone steps she was standing on, through the souls of her feet and up to her legs. _

_It didn't take long to see after that, that something was coming their way. Something large and definitely foul. The setting sun seemed to be blotted out its self as a wave of something dark came into view, and realization hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. _

_Trolls _

_Voldemort had enlisted the help of trolls. They lumbered stupidly towards the school grounds over hills from the mountain just beside the forbidden forest. Hermione could see them clearly now, as they shuffled forward with wooden clubs so heavy they were being drug. They stood nearly twelve feet tall, gray skinned, with lumpy bodies, and flat horned feet. Hermione could smell the powerfully awful smell that exuded from them, 'a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seemed to clean.' It didn't take long for the putrid, stupid beasts to reach the castle and start to wreak havoc. _

_People were thrown around like a child playing with a toy doll. The Order and Hogwarts students alike scrambled, breaking their barely held together fighting groups. Hermione moved unconsciously to the thick of things, her wand pointed and held ready to take down anything in her path. Spells poured from her mouth to her wand automatically as Hermione fought her way in. There was so many, that even though they couldn't be missed even if you were a blind man, Hermione was so buried deep in her task of what was ahead she didn't think to look behind her._

_The wind was knocked out of her sudden and she found herself inhaling dirt as she hit the hard ground. She looked up in time to see that Gregory Goyle had his back turned to her frantically fending himself from a particularly nasty looking troll. Its nose was full of what looked like lumpy gray glue – troll boogers._

_Hermione pulled a face as the slime dripped from the cavity and onto its giant animal pelt covered belly. She could see that he was shaken, by having to face off with a troll and his grip on his wand was almost too tight. Fear more then likely had clouded his judgment, and he probably couldn't even fire off a good disarming spell if needed. So it shouldn't have been any kind of real shock when the heavy club the beast was carrying came down and with a sickening thud cracked Goyle across the head before he could even move to defend himself._

_Hermione turned her head sharply so she wouldn't have to watch his body fall to the ground limply, but the sound rang in her ears, as did the impact of the blunt object to his skull. She could feel her stomach roll with just her imagination at play and she emptied her stomach as a hot trail of bile forced its way up through her throat._

Hermione quickly lost her non existent appetite at the all too raw memory of only one of the many deaths she had been a personal witness to only a few months prior. She grabbed her books and quickly rushed out of the Great Hall to Madame Pomfrey's perhaps maybe getting a note excusing her from classes, the memory of a bludgeoned classmate removed her earlier excitement of the first day of classes.

Natalia was getting a headache from that vile girl sitting next to her beloved cousin, whom at this very moment she wanted to kill.

_The nerve of this idiota __**(idiot)**__ forcing me to stay by his side as if I were a child!_

She rolled her eyes and excused herself saying that she wanted to use the restroom before her first class of the day. Blaise kept a hand on her shoulder to keep her from leaving so he could ask.

"Where do you think you your going little Nightingale?" She glared at her cousin, as much as she loved his nickname for her right now she felt much to angry to take note of the sentiment.

"In qualsiasi altro luogo, se rimango qui qualunque più lungo le mie orecchie sanguineranno dall'udienza che voce dell'ipocrita tutto il cugino più lungo e caro"_(Anywhere else, if i stay here any longer my ears will bleed from hearing that hypocrite's voice any longer, beloved cousin)_ She tried to hide the evident disgust on her face, after kissing her cousin's cheek and excusing herself she also exited the Great Hall and walked the opposite direction of the wretched girl who had treated her so badly the day before on the train. Walking out to the courtyard she felt the anger in her calm down with the refreshing September air hitting her face. Staring out at the meek gray sky she sat on a bench bring her knees to her chest resting her chin on them as she sighed sadly.

Normally in September Italy was still bright as mid-July only slightly cooler it was her favorite time of year and she was missing her friends and schoolmates much more then she let on. At first she thought getting away from her family and coming to live with her aunt and favorite cousin Blaise in England would have been a blessing, for her home life was far from the beauty of the country she was born and raised in.

The Zabini family had remained for the most part neutral through this horrid war, but if need be choose they almost gladly chose the side of "their" lord. It made Natalia ill to have to hear her father curse the beauty of her home simply because muggles inhabited the land.

"_When my lord wins I will make sure that he clears out all the filthy muggles from this land, with their eccentric ways and devices, they make this world a worse place."_

So when rumors were spread throughout her wizarding community that one of the Zabinis was not being faithful to their master, suspicion and punishment immediately turned to Natalia, once Blaise had tried to take the blame saying he had gotten lost and stumbled onto an order meeting when he was visiting, but they quickly discredited him and his uncle lashed out twice as bad at Natalia for making Blaise lie.

"_A disgrace to the Zabini name is what I fathered."_

So needless to say when her Aunt asked her to come and stay with them she left in a heartbeat, anything that got her away from her father and sister could not be taken for granted.

Yet sitting here now she felt just as isolated and miserable as she had when she was at home in Venice. Tears wanted to come out but she learned early on emotion was a weakness and weakness in a pureblood family was never tolerated and always punished. Fighting back the depression with rage she glared out at the lake before her.

It wasn't all ugly she assumed, yes there was no sun but the scenery had it's own beauty nothing compared to her country, but she assumed that was her own pride speaking. How she wished she could skip her classes and take a swim in the black lake, but Natalia knew it wouldn't be a wise thing to do, she owed it to her cousin to at least graduate from here and she couldn't do that if she faltered on attendance so early on.

She heard a bell ring through the hallways and sighed, she knew it was time to go as much as she didn't want to, Natalia would never let an agreement fall through or disappoint the only members of her family who cared enough for her to make sure she at least got through school.

One last glimpse of the great lake before her and Natalia stood up and gave herself a second to compose herself, carrying herself like any pureblood heiress should. Gliding into the halls she caught eye of Blaise and called out to him.

"Cousin!" Turning quickly Blaise smiled in relief before hurrying to her and escorting her by the arm to her first class.

"I understand that being here is hard on you Nightingale but you don't know your way around here or the snakes that the people here can be."

"Said the Ssslytherin." She teased. Blaise scowled and she scrunched her face to show him just how silly he looked, rolling his eyes he continued.

"I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

"Blaise you needn't worry of me so much, between you and Draco I have no need for your protection anymore." Hurt by her comment Blaise momentarily pouted which made his cousin giggle and explain. "You know it is true dearest cousin so don't make yourself sick over me. Besides I have already met a person and he was actually a good man." Blaise narrowed his eyes and looked at her seriously.

"_He?._" Natalia laughed at her cousin's over protective stature of her.

"I presume so, his name_ is _Harry." The journey to her class was stopped dead as the color from Blaise's olive skin drained.

"There is only one _Harry_ in the entire school and his last name just so happens to be Potter." She stared at him confused and nodded.

"That would be him, the teenage war hero."

"I **forbid** you to speak to him!" Shock and anger filled Natalia, Blaise had never raised his voice to her and much less forbid her form anything or anyone.

"You don't own me! Blaise Zabini how dare you tell me what to do?! Ho indicato chiaramente tempo fa che non vivrei la mia vita dalle limitazioni della nostra famiglia. _( I made it clear long ago that I would not live my life by the restrictions of our family.)_ You told me you agreed yet now you _forbid_ me for talking to another human being just because he killed your deranged leader?! How can you be such a hypocrite?!"

"He was never my lord! Natalia non tutto nella vita è semplice! Per una volta pensi alle conseguenze di che cosa erano di accadere se diventate amici lui o il cielo vieta l'inizio un rapporto! _(Natalia not everything in life is simple! For once think about the consequences of what were to happen if you become friends him or heaven forbid start a relationship! )_For once think of what this will do to the future generations of Zabinis, they will be ridiculed in our communities if you were to fall in love with Potter."

"I never said I was going to marry him Blaise, Your not thinking of the family your thinking of our name, appena come il mio padre! Perché mi avete detto che vivo qui sareste migliori!? Se steste andando rifiutare la mia amicizia con la gente avrei rimanere in Italia! Soltanto una persona mi ha dato l'ora per familiarizz conare me per me! Non per il mio cugino di cognome perché ha voluto comunicare con me._(Just like my father! Why did you tell me living here would be better!? If you were going to refuse my friendship with people I would have stayed in Italy! Only one person has given me the time of day to get to know me for me! Not for my last name cousin because he wanted to talk to me)_ His name happens to be Harry Potter and I don't care about what the family says, since when did they give a damn about me?!" Hurt by her comments Blaise placed a hand on her cheek and turned her now tear streaked face to see him.

"Natalia sapere ti amo, che sono perché non posso permettere che parliate lui,_(you know I love you, which is why I can't allow you to speak to him, )_ I have no resentment towards Harry. But you are my baby Nightingale I can not see you go through more self destructive pain, I wouldn't care if you spoke to Harry had he not been the one to destroy Voldemort but unfortunately that's how it is and I must plead with you to please stay away from him." Natalia looked into her cousin's pleading eyes and felt more tears slip as she hugged him tightly and cried with all her might.

"I hate it here, it was not how I had thought! The girls are hateful and two faced, while the men stare at me crudely and make me feel dirty. I am beneath everyone here and he was the only one to look at me like a person since I arrived, yet he too ended up being only a liar." She sobbed tightly her small body shaking from her sobs. Blaise felt anger rise in him as he thought of all the people he was going to pummel for hurting his baby cousin.

"What did he do to you?" He tried to sound comforting but only came out sounding demanding, Natalia shook her head and pulled away drying the tears with her hands and smiled at her cousin.

"Nothing important, I promise I will no longer speak to him cousin." Once again Blaise hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"You are not beneath anyone Nightingale, because you are always in the tallest tree singing the most beautiful songs. Only those who take the time to listen to your song, marvel at your beauty and attempt to climb your tree deserve your attention, remember that you are a Zabini and no matter what you think of our family we are strong, intelligent, and obviously good looking, so there is no need for tears because before long people will see the beauty behind your equally beautiful yet just as difficult shell.": Natalia smiled and squeezed her cousin tight before pulling away and kissing his cheeks.

"you are a vain creature, will we get in trouble for being late?" He shrugged and again escorted her to her first class.

"Well I could really care less for Ancient Runes and since your new they will give you a bit of time to get your classes but learn them quick or else the people here turn into real-?"

"-Real what Mr. Zabini?" The cousins turned around quickly to find Minerva McConagall staring at both students sternly.

"Big helpers Professor, and my cousin is not one to take help so kindly. I am only escorting her to her first class of the day before going to my class." Her sourpuss expression didn't change as she continued her interrogation.

"And just what would those classes be?"

"D.A.D.A?" Natalia said quite unsure of what this subject was.

"I see and yours Blaise?"

"Ancient runes Madame."

"Do explain to me young man how you planned on getting from one end of the castle after dropping off your cousin and going to the other side of the castle to arrive just in time to be dismissed?" Putting on the infamous Zabini smile Blaise hoped that his charm would at the very least persuade McConagall to no give him a week's worth of detention for skipping out on class.

"My extreme endurance?" Minerva fought back a smirk and sent him along his way promising that she herself would escort Natalia to her class.

Kissing Blaise good-bye Natalia strode next to her professor in a somewhat awkward silence.

"So Natalia."

"Yes Madame?" Laughing slightly Minerva placed a hand on her student's shoulder.

"No need for that dear, your dear cousin only calls me that to get a much more lenient punishment, which I almost always give him. That boy I dare say can make a rock fall in love with him." Natalia giggled and agreed.

"I believe he already has." After a hearty laugh, they continued the quite lengthy journey to her first class.

"Well the good thing is the students here are all very helpful and most can be kind so you will always have someone willing to help." Natalia stiffened and nodded her head curtly which did not go as unnoticed as she had hoped.

"How have you been Natalia?" She stared up at her teacher confused.

"Uhm fine? Why do you ask?"

"You don't look so happy and that argument I heard between you and your cousin didn't sound pleasant in the least, don't worry young one I don't know a lick of Italian so any thing you may not have wanted to be heard wasn't." She sighed heavily and looked at her professor.

"Well to be honest it is not as pleasant as I had hoped but I will make due with what I have and make the most of my time here in your school." Minerva smiled at the young girls strength.

"My dear what is your house?"

"Ravenclaw, why do you ask?"

"Never in the history of Hogwarts has a Zabini or any of their relations been outside of Slytherin." Natalia blushed.

"Just another reason why I bring shame to the family."

"You do no such thing! Young lady The history of Ravenclaw is rich with beauty and knowledge. Not to say that the other houses are not, but Ravenclaw students always have an air of something special to them just don't tell my house that I told you this. You're meant for great things my dear far greater than you can fathom, and to think you bring shame to anyone is simply absurd! Don't let your surname control you Natalia it's just as crazy as letting blood status rule over you." Natalia slowly drank in her words and felt humbled to be told so many great things when she was thinking only the worst of everyone in this school. The women finally made it to her class which was mid session.

"Ah here we are, Defense Against the Dark Arts, not one of my personal favorites but I don't have much of a say in the classes offered. Well here we part my dear." Natalia smiled kindly at the older woman and stared through the window at the learning students. Her breath hitched as the only chair left in the class was next to the one boy who she had just vowed to her cousin she'd never speak to again.

"Oh and Natalia?" She looked to the professor who was staring at her with an amused expression.

"Yes professor?"

"Potter is not a bad person don't be so quick to shun him you are more alike then you think." Nodding Natalia swallowed a lump and entered the classroom quietly to no avail, as all the students heard the door and quickly all eyes fell upon her.

"Sorry I'm late but I don't know my way around." The professor looked rather annoyed.

"After seven years? You're quite pathetic aren't you dear?" Some of the class snickered while she glared and bit her tongue to keep from speaking. Seeing her forced silence the professor pushed on. "Such a pretty face, shame you have no functioning brain." She wanted to tell him off and curse him into next week but she wouldn't allow herself to stoop so low to his level and merely clenched her fist so tightly that she drew blood.

Having grown bored with her non responsive attitude the professor assigned her seat next to Harry's and surprise surprise made him her partner for the year, yet he was not a problem as she stormed to the table her mind was rambling with the words she was dying to say.

_parte di merda buona per niente insegnante che pensa può fare uno sciocco di me come questo se soltanto potessi maledirlo in una scimmia il bastardo.(__**piece of shit good for nothing teacher thinking he can make a fool of me like this if only I could curse him into a monkey the bastard)**_

Still seething she threw her notebook on the table bringing more unwanted attention to herself, and wanting more than anything to just melt away she went to bury her face in her hands to find her palms running with crimson liquid.

"Shit." She muttered a healing spell on herself quietly then sighed in frustration. The snickering next to her caught her attention.

The handsome war hero was staring at her distressed state quite entertained and she glowered.

"Something funny?" He fought back his laughter and nodded.

"Quite actually."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you." Her eyes narrowed yet she felt the anger in her ebbing away.

"Do tell Mr. Potter." He laughed quietly and shook his head.

"You don't open your mouth to keep from making a show yet you stomp so loudly it almost sounded like a stampede of scared unicorns and then you proceed to huff and puff making so much noise it's hard to ignore you."

"And why would you ignore me?" She felt her anger returning.

"Because where would we be if one of us didn't take notes." Their faces were dangerously close all Natalia had to do was pucker her lips and they'd be on his, she felt his breath on her face and caught the slight scent of spearmint on him, so she knew he hadn't eaten. Closing her eyes and counting to ten Natalia looked at him.

"I think you should probably take more notes." He swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat and nodded trying with all his might to focus on the class.

Try as she might though Natalia couldn't bring herself to pay attention to the teacher before her, all her thoughts drifted to the boy next to her and how she had promised her cousin she wouldn't speak to him again, yet now she didn't know just how she was going to break it to Blaise that the one boy she promised not to have anymore contact with was a partner in one of her classes and keep him from killing Harry. Natalia closed her eyes and rested her head on the cool tabletop thinking.

_Sono in modo da scopato. _

_**(I am so fucked)**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The middle of September had quickly approached leaving the air feeling crisp, and the skies clear. Currently the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's were using this opportune moment to study outside for their Care for Magical Creatures class. Each house was sitting on their respected sides, easily avoiding the other as they watched studiously to the front.

Hagrid was patting the top of a finely messed wire cage, fairly large and devoid of anything, save for a wooden perch hanging from the top. Someone on the Gryffindor's side raised their hand slowly and dared ask the question on every one's mind.

"Yes?"

"Um, Professor?" Inquired a blond headed boy with a slight lisp. "What exactly are we looking at?"

"Ah!" Hagrid shouted startling a few unfortunate souls in front of him. "This is the rare Golden Snidget!"

There was only more blank stares until Hermione stood suddenly with wide eyes. "Professor Hagrid! That bird is extremely rare and there can be severe penalties attached to capturing or even _owning _one!"

"Okay what bird!" Ron asked still confused.

"I can see it…" Harry said in a low tone his green eyes darting back and forth fallowing something none of the rest could see. Hermione dared to look back at Malfoy out of impulse and watched his pale blue eyes do the same.

"That's right…" Hermione mumbled to herself.

"Well, 'ermione. Can ya tell us wha' we 're actually dealin' with?" Hagrid asked with a twinkle of understanding shining in his eye.

"The Golden Snidget is a small, spherical bird which can fly with amazing agility, changing speed and direction almost instantaneously. Its golden feathers and red jewel – like eyes are so prized that at one time the snidget was hunted almost to extinction. The fact that a snidget became such an integral part of the game of Quidditch, and usually died when it was caught, didn't help matters either. The snidget became a protected species; there are now severe penalties for harming or even capturing one. Snidget reserves have been set up worldwide, and a magical device, the Golden Snitch, has replaced the live bird in Quidditch," She finished off with a hand on her hip and her head titled slightly to the side, giving off an air of someone who just told someone what for.

Every pair of eyes were turned on her with slight surprise at her even knowing a lick about the wizarding game.

"Very goo' 'ermione. An' jus' incase yur wonderin' I've got me a special permit from the magical reserves where this fella was born," just as Hagrid was done talking the small round bird stopped fluttering long enough to perch itself on the swing. Its small breast heaved from its efforts, and then took off again but hovered slowly around its confinement.

"This 'ere particular Snidget was raised fer educational purposes. So there is no 'arm done. Twenty points to Gryffindor by the way, 'ermione, fer yer explanation."

The said girl nodded her head curtly and sat back down next to Ron who leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She blushed at the few giggles from the girls behind her and decidedly ignored them.

--

The whole great hall was abuzz with chatter at the announcement that the first Hogsmeade trip of the year was to be held that very weekend. Plans were already being made and couples were starting to get together even though the weekend was still days off. During the recuperation of the after math of the war the small town made many changes, and everyone was anxious to see exactly what it could possibly look like now.

Natalia sat impassively at her table as her fellow housemates haughtily declared who would be worth to accompany them. Her dear cousin was nowhere in site so she had resigned herself to sit alone at the end of her house table and pick at her small lunch. She had a free period after this and wanted to go outside to study. Natalia had seen through the dorm windows when she had awoken that morning that the weather outside was beautiful, and wanted nothing more then to take the time to study in the fresh air.

With out giving much more thought to it she stood and grabbed her books and made her way outside ignoring the calls from a few boys in her grade. Once Natalia found the perfect spot next to the gnarled trunk of an ancient tree she pulled out a thick book she had found in the library and started reading. It didn't take long before her eyes began to droop and her head slowly started to nod forward. Her wavy dark hair fell into her face as the wind blew, carrying on it, the smell of wild flowers from the mountainside.

--

Harry was bent on finding some peace and quiet for the first time that day, but when he arrived at the tree he found his semi – private oasis over taken by a certain transfer student. He stared down at the sleeping girls figure with a slight smirk of amusement. Her legs were curled underneath her body and her head slightly bowed, tipped to the side, while a book he knew to be, 'Hogwarts A History," was perched on her lap. The slight breeze that had been blowing all day filtered through the air once again, brushing away her onyx locks from her creamy cinnamon colored skin.

Harry's smirks faltered slightly as the wind continued to play with her hair lightly, making it caress her cheek, like a lover would. His breath caught in his throat as she shifted slightly and her pale pink lips parted to exhale a content sigh, leaving him to lick his own lips unconsciously. He could feel a blush starting to rise to his cheeks when he realized what he had done so he turned his head, and coughed lightly into his balled hand.

When he looked back down he saw a slightly shiver run through her body, and she seemed to withdraw into herself as another particularly biting wind blew through the small alcove. He sighed and smiled once again at the girl's lack of school robes and took off his own and placed it around her shoulders.

He grunted as he plopped onto his backside and fell backwards into the still green grass. Harry contented himself to watch the few clouds there were passing by, loving the quiet. He had been wary when he had come across Natalia just now; because of course every encounter thus far had been far form serene. Harry chuckled softly as he sidled his eyes to the side to take in her profile, flashes of moments where she always seemed to be acting quite spirited, popped into his head. Looking at her now he could see that, then and now was like night and day.

He rather liked her this way and wondered if she would let down her guard one day around him long enough to show him this softer, somber side. Looking back up to the sky he watched the blue skies for a moment longer until he felt his eyes drift shut, the only noise was that of a few birds singing somewhere in the trees, and the sound of small insects buzzing busily nearby.

--

Hermione heaved a sigh and dropped her school bag to the stone floor, beside the couch in the common room, with a thud. She kneaded the aching muscle there for a moment before bending down and pulling out the ridiculous amount of books from her satchel. Once she had each one lined up by assignment dates before her on the coffee table top she pulled out her quill and ink well.

"Alright," she muttered to herself. "Time to get to work."

Pulling off her school robes she rolled up her sleeve and loosened her tie before picking up her quill, and bending over her workload. Silence ruled over the empty common room, save for the scratching of her quill across the parchment papers, or the occasional flip of a book page.

--

Draco entered the common room silently and shut the portrait door softly, as it was late. Breathing deeply with weariness, he started for the common room to go to his room. He stalled however when he looked up to see Granger sitting hunched over a monstrous stack of books and parchment. A few pieces of curled hair fallen from its confided bun on the top of her head, and her face frowning in concentration.

He frowned himself and thought about what a troublesome girl she was. Draco ran a hand through his bleach blond locks, and continued to watch her from the side. For some reason the Weasel had been plaguing his thoughts all day, since he had caught him snogging Susan in the corridor. He didn't care about him, _or _her, but for some reason the whole situation just seemed wrong.

So unlike Weasley's attitude or personality to cheat like that, but he had to suppose that war had changed them all and not for the better. Weasley's arrogance had seemed to skyrocket when Potter had killed the Dark Lord.

'_The idiot, he wasn't even anywhere close when Potter dealt with the dark lord,'_

Draco thought to himself. Even so it seemed if you had your name attached to the Golden Trio, fame was all but in your hands.

Curiosity soon trickled into his veins as he watched Granger scratch away on her assignments. Why would he cheat on her? Draco wondered. He smirked suddenly,

'_she must be one frosty bitch." _

The amused grin slowly disappeared however when he thought back to that morning. The look she gave him screamed anything but 'frosty'. Narrowing his eyes he took a step forward and walked to the end of the couch furthest from her, and looked down at her with interest once again.

Draco slipped his robes off slowly and laid it across the back of the couch as he looped one finger through his green and silver tie, loosening it. With the flick of his fingers he unbuttoned the first four buttons, and finally took a step around the couch and towards the girl. When he was a scant foot away from her he paused and waited until she looked up.

When she did he bent his knee on the couch beside her leg and watched with even more new found notice as her eyes widened slightly, showing him her honey colored eyes, clearly. He watched as her slim, but curvy body tensed instantly when he started to lean down, forcing her to lean away from him. Her back hit the armrest of couch and she opened her mouth slight as if to say something.

Draco's eyes flickered towards her small pink mouth and he titled his head to the side, as if studying a truly fascinating specimen.

"Wha-?" He watched her lips form the 'w' and listened to the sound it made before cutting it off.

"Tell me Granger," he said in a low even tone, that edged on iciness. "What do you see in the Weasel?"

Her confused expression instantly snapped to one of anger, but before the retort could leave her pert little mouth, Draco silenced her with a finger to the lips. When the tips of his finger felt the soft pillows beneath it he ran it along the lines of her mouth and watched as her eyes widened once more, making her gasp aloud.

A slight blush stained her cheeks and nose, making the corners of his mouth upturn slightly. When his gaze traveled up to meet her eyes he stilled and his senses returned slowly. Grangers eyes were half – lidded a brilliant blush on her skin. Her mouth parted, and her chest panted slightly, as if it was hard to breath.

His eyes traveled down the line of her neck and his eyebrow shot up when she saw her shirt unbuttoned and peeking through was the dark green lace of a bra. The sight made a jolt of tingling pleasure run down his stomach to his groin. Licking his lips he looked back up at her and grinned cockily.

"That's funny Granger," he said smoothly. "I thought you would have been more of a red person, but surprisingly green suits you."

With that he stood and snatched his robes from the back of the couch and headed to his room slamming the door closed with a resounding bang.

--

Natalia sighed from her position on the edge of her bed as she watched the dozen amount of girls run back and forth in the already to small dorm room. It was _the _weekend. The first Hogsmeade weekend of the year and she wasn't looking forward to it too terribly. Blaise, had been busy lately with something or other, she could never get him to tell her, and in his stead Draco was constantly shadowing her, seemingly in a bad mood.

Her cousin had promised a proper tour of the small town, and a surprise as well. At least it wasn't all bad. Natalia stood and slipped on her slingback flats and ran a hand through her hair checking her out fit only once. Running a hand over the material of her unbuttoned ruffled shirt, she tugged at the end of the green lace tank top underneath. Looping a finger into the material of her indigo wash jeans she pulled them up slightly and tucked the end of her leather trail belt into a belt loop to keep it from sticking out.

Before Natalia could make it out the door however a girl rushed through the door grabbed her friends hand.

"He's here, Jacqueline!"

Natalia raised an eyebrow at that and turned slightly to watch as the other girl blushed with excitement.

"Really!"

"Who, who?"

The conversation went on like that for a moment before an impatient holler sounded up the steps.

"Natalia! Riduca il vostro asino qui! Non abiamo tutto il giorno!" (_Get your ass down here! We don't have all day!)_

Natalia looked to the side at the feeling of people staring at her and frowned at the nasty looks she received. She smiled sweetly, however and picked up her small shoulder bag, and walked to the door.

"Have a nice time in Hogsmeade, ladies," she said as she slipped out the door. When she made it to the stair well she paused at the sight of her cousin. He wore a relaxed outfit much like her own. She stood there for a moment on the second from the bottom step and tilted her head to the side to take in his appearance.

He was wearing a black and gray rugby fleece sweater with a red shirt underneath, and the sleeves pushed up just below his elbows. His dark jeans ended with a pair of white and gray leather joggers. His black wavy hair was brushed back away from his face and as always flawlessly perfect. His whole image screamed cool, worship me.

Beside him Draco looked no different as his persona of Ice Prince in his completely black attire. From his black slacks to the torso fitting turtleneck and shiny leather black shoes. Grinning she looked back over her shoulder to see the top of the steps crowded by the seventh year girls, gawking openly at the two Slytherin's.

Rolling her eyes, Natalia, looked back at her cousin who was frowning impatiently.

"Natalia!" He huffed impatiently as she stepped down to join them.

"Sono caro cugino, cosi spiacente,"( _I'm so sorry, dear cousin.)_She said sweetly as she placed her hand on his cheek and kissed the other lightly, in hopes to cool his obviously irritated mood. She didn't falter when she saw his face relax with the sigh he heaved out. When she finally pulled away she looked at the blond next to them.

"Draco," she said with a nod.

"Natalia," he said just as evenly as he stepped forward slightly and lightly cupped her arm at the elbow, drawing her in. She titled her chin up and her face to the side as he planted a soft kiss on her cheek. Natalia could practically feel the knives already stabbing her in the back from the girls watching.

"Shall we?" Natalia said once again sweetly and started for the door with both boys on hot on her trail.

--

Blaise stared straight ahead as the three of them walked slowly through the town. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his fingers played with the thin piece of paper stuck into one of them. He hadn't told his cousin what they were going to do in town as of yet, because the contents of the letter currently in his possession, was from someone he hadn't personally seen in about a year, and someone Natalia hadn't seen in a good five months.

His eyes narrowed slightly when they finally reached the newly remodeled part of the small wizarding town, and in front of a humble café, sitting at an outside table was the person in question. Her curly light brown hair fell over her shoulder, and from the way they walked up on her he knew she couldn't see them. It didn't fail that she was wearing Italy's top fall fashion.

She wore a long sleeve black sweater with a form fitting tan knee length skirt, and just like almost ever Zabini woman her long slim legs ended with a pair of high open toed heels. Her black waistcoat was folded neatly over the back of the chair she was sitting in and her head was turned to the man she was sitting by.

Blaise's eyes narrowed more noticeably at the site of her getting more then comfortable with the strange man.

"Blaise?" Natalia questioned beside him with concern. He snapped his attention back to his cousin and grinned slightly.

"I'm fine, come," he said shortly and headed towards the fair skinned woman. Once upon them he felt Natalia detach herself from his side and step forward slowly.

"Shanna?"

The girl in question turned her head slightly.

"Ah," she said as she turned completely around, and Blaise frowned at the sight of her wearing a pair of dark tinted shades. It was hardly bright.

"E quello il Nightingale che dolce mi sento?" (_Is that the sweet Nightingale I hear?)_

Natalia didn't waste any time as Shanna stood, to rush to her side and embrace the woman, in a hug. When they parted Blaise stepped up to confirm his suspicions. Taking a hold of Shanna's arm he turned her slightly to face him and raised a hand to pull off the shades.

An audible gasp fell from Natalia's mouth and Blaise growled. The woman in front of him just smiled slightly and titled her head to the side. Her once light brown eyes were now a milky unseeing blue, dead, and useless.

"When?" He asked as he closed his own dark brown eyes.

Shanna laughed lightly, "sit first and have a cup of tea with me and Bernardino."

He grunted softly but sat any way ordering a cup of tea when the waitress came around, never taking his eyes off the woman to his left. Draco had disappeared when they had arrived so it left only the four of them at the small iron table.

Blaise hadn't seen Shanna for a while, but it seemed that time had been kind in some way. She hadn't seemed to age at all and still seemed like she had been at eighteen. Looking at the three of them you would never guess that they were actually all related and in the same family. Unlike Natalia, and Blaise, Shanna did not carry the strong Zabini traits in anyway. Her looks, and mellow attitude were that of her mothers, a muggleborn, and English.

"So Natalia," she asked in Italian, "tell me the truth, is the man sitting at my side as handsome as he says."

She made it sound like a joke as she replaced her dark shades. "You know I can go only on what people tell me now a days," she concluded lightly as she leaned forward to prop her elbows on the table.

Natalia sat with her mouth slightly open at the jest, a truly horrific expression on her face.

"Enough!" Blaise barked irritably. Both females sitting with him jumped slightly, as he sounded eerily like every other enforcing male in their family. Shanna lowered her hands to her lap and sat straight in her chair, a blank expression crossing her face. He had known something had been funny when had received her letter days ago, and a different hand wrote it.

"What is the meaning of all this?"

Natalia looked at her cousin questioningly before looking back at Shanna. A weary sigh escaped past her full ruby lips, before she bent down and picked up the handbag by her chair; a truly unerring act for someone blind. She unsnapped the small clasped and pulled out thickly folded bundle of parchment, sliding it towards Blaise and Natalia.

"I am no longer your legal cousin," she said lightly with a small, sort of sad smile. Natalia opened her mouth to protest until Blaise stopped her by holding up his hand, leaving the girl to flush red at the domineering treatment. Shanna took her shades off and folded them neatly before placing them down and 'looking' in their direction.

"Uncle and I didn't seem to see eye to eye on a few things after you left, Natalia. I said one to many things, and punishment was _handed _out," she said a bit bitterly.

"After I left?" Natalia asked forgetting her prior ire for her cousin.

Shanna nodded slowly.

"But weren't you in Scotland?" She continued.

"Yes, but when word reached me that you had left for England. I wanted terribly to see you off, but it seems Uncle didn't want me to do such a thing and word never reached me until afterwards," Shanna paused for a moment before leaning in and reaching across the table to grasp her hand. "Natalia, don't go back there!" She whispered almost urgently.

"I'm fine, if its me, I've grown to accept this," she let go of one of Natalia's hands to gesture to her eyes. "I've known that something like this might have happened someday, but Natalia, you don't deserve this."

Natalia stood in a huff, her hands slamming down on the iron table, "Neither did you! Do you think this is fair! That bastard! What right did he have?!"

Shanna sat back and sighed once again, her face seeming to age with the tiredness she felt. Turning her head to the man who had been silently sipping on his tea she leaned in and whispered something to him.

With out saying anything Bernardino stood and took a step to stand at Shanna's side, leaning down to brush back a of curl that had fallen into her eyes. He then squeezed her shoulder lightly and planted a kiss on side of her mouth before straightening and bowing his head slightly, then turning to make his way seemingly aimless through the now crowded streets.

Shanna reached for the cup of tea in front of her and fumbled for a moment before her hand found what it sought. Picking up the saucer she delicately drank from the cup before replacing it with out sound.

"Natalia," she said softly. "Please, calm down. It's fine; I no longer have to deal with the Zabini name. Like I said this day was only expected to come. Mother was not worthy given her…_colorful_ background I do believe that's how Nonna Mercedes put it. Those documents were drawn up a month ago, cutting me from any rights I might have had with the family name attached. Buon dolore, if father could see how things are being dealt with now, he would roll over in his grave."

Shanna paused and grew serious, "But that is not what I wanted to come here to talk with you about."

Blaise sat forward slightly and trained his gaze on Shanna's face. "What is it…cousin?"

Shanna smiled before nodding, "well. Its about Lucius Malfoy…"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Zabini cousins were plagued by what their eldest cousin Shanna had informed them of.

"How is it even possible that he was let out of Azkaban the ministry has so much proof against him! How dammit?." Natalia screamed, slamming her fist against the metal table making Shanna's tea spill over.

"Calm down Nightingale." Blaise tried to soothe.

"How dare you tell me to calm down?! It isn't your life that they want to control is it?! I thought this problem was over with, Our families agreed to no longer hold that ridiculous pact up!" Shanna sighed sadly, she knew this would not go over lightly at all.

"I shouldn't have said anything, I tried to defend you Natalia but your father is a bitter angry man hell bent on having his way. You know how he worships Draco's father, speaking of Draco where is he? I'd like to say hello."

"I don't know he said he had something to do, probably shag some girl in an alleyway." Blaise tried joking but the air hung thick with tension and Natalia merely glared.

"Pig." Without another word she stood and gave Shanna a peck on the cheek and left.

"Where do you think your going Natalia?" Blaise more ordered than asked. She didn't even turn and continued walking through the small unknown town, intent on getting as far from her cousins as possible to mull the nauseating thought that was currently leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

Blaise immediately rose from his seat and began to chase for her as his protective instincts kicked in only to be stopped by his cousin.

"Let her cool off cousin this is a far better reaction then I would have expected we both know how, how can I put it nicely? Dramatic she can be." Shanna chuckled lightly and Blaise sat again, yet even though he knew what his cousin said was true he was worried greatly for Natalia.

"Stop fidgeting little one, I know you always want to keep her safe but remember you must never try to cage a Nightingale because then no one else can see her beauty as much as you." The young man grumbled.

"No one needs to." Shanna laughed loudly and whole-heartedly as tears began to form on the corners of her eyes.

"Oh lord, Blaise you are very entertaining just like a little guard dog who never leaves her side."

The two older cousins had carried a conversation themselves the rest of the afternoon spotting Natalia only one other time walking side by side with Draco who was also trying with no avail to calm her down as well. The two could be heard having a discussion, but in Italian so as to keep their classmates in the dark of the situation going on.

"Il vostro italiano è Draco orribile." **(Your Italian is horrible Draco)**

"Se potete capirli che cosa esso importa?" **(If you can understand it what does it matter?)** Despite her stressed out mood Natalia had to smile.

"Ass." Draco's eyes widened in shock and he looked around to see if anyone had overheard her.

"**That** is what you choose to let everyone overhear?!" She grabbed onto his arm and nudged him as they walked aimlessly throughout the small town arms linked looking quite comfortable.

"Scusilo l'signor nessuno possono comunicare giù con me, ma almeno i nostri compagni di classe non sanno che niente altro tranne io possono comunicare con voi gradicono un uguale". **(Excuse me Mister no one can talk down to me, but at least our classmates don't know anything else other than I can talk to you like an equal).**

"Potrei vivere con loro che conoscono la nostra situazione attuale ma non li voglio che pensano che appena chiunque possa comunicare con me come sono amicii." **(I could live with them knowing our current situation but I don't want them thinking that just anyone can talk to me like they are friends.)** Feigning insult Natalia scowled and pulled away only to have Draco grab her arm and hold her even closer, Smiling Natalia hugged Draco tightly and in a rare moment of warmth Draco flashed her a handsome smile that had anyone but her seen, they may have died of shock. "Regina di dramma, sapere che siete più allora un amico a me così che cosa sono noi che andiamo fare circa questa edizione di intera famiglia?" **(Drama queen, you know that you're more then a friend to me so what are we going to do about this whole family issue?)**

Sighing heavily Natalia laid her head on his arm as they walked to the still under construction part of town.

"I really don't know, but I refuse Draco, I refuse to go through with it."

"Lo fate sembrare come essere con un Malfoy siete come una frase alla morte." (**You make it seem like being with a Malfoy is like a sentence to death.)** Draco said evenly.

"It's not that at all Draco, but you know the only people who would be happy with this plan would be our father's." Draco agreed and they stopped to sit on a bench that was on the edge of the sidewalk they were walking.

"Well we've made it once through this why can't we do it again? Now stop over reacting and come here I doubt that scrap of material you call a shirt is keeping you warm at all." Natalia glared at him and laughed.

"Excuse you but I didn't think that September in England was like Winter in Germany." Laughing Draco pulled her closer resting his head atop hers while she laid hers against his chest. Placing a light kiss on her head Draco whispered.

"I won't let them tell us what to do I promise." Smiling Natalia nodded and closed her eyes listening to his heartbeat.

Across from the pair sat a trio of friends staring hardly and in disgust.

"What a bloody slag, she can't have just one no she has to have both the Slytherins."

"What does it matter who she dates or maybe you misunderstood and she's Malfoy's girlfriend."

"You didn't see how her and Blaise responded to one another."

"You're wrong 'Mione, she's Zabini's cousin."

"And how exactly would you know Harry?" Hermione challenged, he looked at her annoyed and answered in her same tone of voice.

"Because unless they got married very early in life then there's no other explanation for them having the same last name."

"How do ya know that mate?" Ron asked wrapping a soothing arm around Hermione who was turning red with anger.

"We have a few classes together and her name is always last on the roster."

"Maybe her last name also starts with a Z think of that Harry?"

"OK then 'Mione," Harry said in a cynical tone.

"How about explaining that I'm her partner and her papers say Natalia Zabini?" She frowned and stared at Ron for some sort of help, but he merely shrugged and looked at her apologetically.

"He's got a point love, she's not really a slag if she's with Malfoy and Zabini's only her cousin."

"I Don't care I still don't like her." Harry stared at her incredulously.

"That's a great reason Hermione I'd hate to have to hear a legitimate reason to dislike her." She stared at him obviously offended.

"What more do I need other than the fact that she is a Slytherin."

"She's a Ravenclaw."

"Just as bad."

"Oh so Luna's bad." Frustrated to be losing an argument to Harry, Hermione screamed out.

"What does it matter why I don't like her she's associated with Malfoy and Zabini two families who were related closely to Voldemort." Harry rolled his eyes annoyed to have to be defending a girl he had no reason defending.

So why didn't he just shut up already?

"First off, I only killed Voldemort to get rid of some of the discrimination that went on, not just by them but by us, a very intelligent person once told me that if we continue down this road then Voldemort's defeat was in vain. And do you know what? I never really believed her until now and second the Zabinis were neutral through most of the war. Only picking Voldemort because that meant choosing life for them."

"Why do you defend her so much?" Hermione finally asked unsure of what else to say.

"Yes Potter do tell." All three turned around and staring back were a pair of espresso colored eyes that locked onto Harry's instantly shock and gratitude deep in them and the other a pair of cold steel pools that stared at Harry in suspicion, hate and protectiveness.

Clearing his throat and putting his head down to maybe lose all the eyes that suddenly seemed to be glued to him.

"I just hate to see people get judged without reason, now excuse me I should be going." Harry quickly stood telling his friends to stay and that he would meet them in the common room later on. Malfoy locked eyes with the couple still sitting and Natalia took this time to quickly grab hold of Harry's hand and it took all Harry's will power not to yank it away in disgust.

Her eyes pleaded with him and he followed them to a part of the small coffee shop that was hidden by a bookshelf right next to the bathroom. Harry relented and instead told them he was going to see if there were any interesting books to read.

"I doubt that they have play witch here Potter so if your looking for good wanking material you're outta luck." Malfoy sneered. Standing toe to toe with Malfoy Harry shot back.

"Then why don't you loan me yours, or have you used it so much that the pictures are runny now?" That said he didn't even spare a passing glance at the small girl still on Malfoy's arm.

"Draco let's just go get our drinks now." He stared at Natalia and they left without another word, after ordering Natalia quickly excused herself and when Draco wasn't looking she snuck behind the bookshelf to a waiting Harry.

"What do you want? I'm sure Draco's waiting." He shot out bitterly. Surprised at his tone but not his accusation Natalia ignored his comment.

"Why defend me? Honestly." Tired of playing this game he stared her straight in the eye and loomed in dangerously close towering over her.

"Why?! Because bloody daft me thought maybe we could be more then friends, that one day we could go out on a date and start something! Do you think I go around taking naps mid afternoon with girls holding me to "keep warm" when they have my robes on every day? Do you think that I would let you borrow my notes or make excuses for you if I didn't have some sort of feelings for you?!" His voice was harsh and his words cut through her. She was having trouble denying her attraction to him and this confession was going to make it impossible but she simply couldn't betray Blaise more than she already had, yes it was because of school work that her and Harry studied together at the oasis he had found at the beginning of the year, and because of the school work a small friendship had started but this was far more than she had wanted to happen, she thought that if she told herself Harry wasn't interested then these feelings would die and make life so much more easier but this was the exact opposite of what she had wanted to hear.

"I can't Harry." She said shakily.

"Big surprise." He scoffed, she grabbed hold of both his arms as he attempted to leave.

"I can't tell you why, but it's not why you think between Draco and me there's-"

"-You don't owe me an explanation Natalia we're classmates nothing more." Harry removed her small hands from him and walked out the coffee shop quietly leaving Natalia in the corner fighting back tears of self-loathing and confusion

_Why can't I just do right by me for once?"_

Composing herself best as possible she walked out from behind the counter to find Draco talking to one of her roommates, regret turning into anger she quickly made her way to the pair.

"Scusili." **(Excuse you)** She tapped the girl's shoulder fiercely. "But Draco happens to be **my** tour guide and I doubt you need one, so go away and stay away from him if you get the my point." The girl stared at her in shock before Draco excused her. Once she was gone and they were out of the quaint shop but not before sending a few nasty glares towards Gryffindor's A List couple Draco asked,

"Would you mind telling me what the bloody hell that was all about?" She stared at him just as hateful she had the girl and answered venomously.

"I just wanted to see what controlling someone else's life was like." Nothing else was spoken between the two the rest of the way back towards Blaise and Shanna.

Monday came much to soon for Natalia's liking, after her little show on Saturday over Draco and Jacqueline the whispers behind her back increased tenfold and now they weren't even behind her back but instead right in her face and she couldn't pretend that they weren't being said anymore, and since she wasn't considered a "new" student anymore headmistress McGonagall told Natalia she would have to sit at her own table now. She sat looking away from Blaise only because it meant not having to look at Harry, she was seriously considering visiting Madame Pomfrey and saying that her "Womanly Issues" were bothering her so much she couldn't concentrate on schoolwork. She hadn't had a big appetite since starting at Hogwarts but Saturday left a bad feeling in her stomach and she couldn't keep anything down, she resolved to leave the great hall and was starting towards the tree that over looked that black lake and the beautiful scenery surrounding it, but stopped and headed in the direction of the library when she remembered exactly who's private shelter that was.

Harry saw when Natalia left, he also didn't fail to notice the way the gossip and finger pointing at her table increased when she stood to leave. It yanked at his heart to see her get treated like an animal yet he reminded himself it wasn't his concern to look over her or feel pain for her situation. Looking towards the Slytherin table he saw both Blaise and Malfoy's eyes follow Natalia as she left before discussing amongst themselves and Blaise stood up to leave while Malfoy stayed back and continued killing time until the first bell rang. Standing to leave Hermione put a hand on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going lessons start soon." He smiled and tried to hide his annoyance.

"Big breakfast, need to walk it off." Harry knew there was a chance of seeing Natalia by the old tree but that was a chance he was willing to take because he couldn't take looking at Malfoy flirt shamelessly with the other girls at his table any longer.

_Some bastards get all the luck._

Blaise followed Natalia into the library quietly and didn't let his presence be known as she walked further back into the nearly deserted library. Keeping to the shadows Blaise saw her find a lone table in the back and she fell into it heavily.

Taking in his cousin's appearance he saw how Natalia's shoulders were slumped and her head bowed down. He knew she was fighting the misery she was feeling because her mentality was still that of her father's when it came to emotion being a weakness. Stepping out slightly, Blaise placed a comforting hand on Natalia's shoulder but instead of her normal reaction to find solace in him she glared at him and stood up accusingly.

"Why must you follow me? Do you think I am a child?!" Blaise was confused by her attitude towards him they were extremely close since childhood and she liked to pretend that it bothered her when he was guarding her but they both knew she found it a comfort to know that someone cared.

"What's wrong with you Natalia?" He tried again to grab hold of her but she backed away and hissed.

"You are what's wrong with me Blaise, I can't go anywhere to think without you pestering me! Live your own life and leave me alone!" Outraged by her statement Blaise yelled back.

"Leave you alone?! Fine I don't give a right damn what you decide to do then! But from now on when you screw your life up don't dare come running to me for help! I should never have tried to help someone as ungrateful as you." Storming away Blaise glared daggers at the small number of students who had overheard the disagreement. Looking to Natalia she merely glared at them as well and told them to mind their own business and stay out of hers. The bell rang and the students all gathered their belongings slowly and made their way out the library, Natalia lagged and wanted to see if it was possible to hide away the rest of the day here away from Harry, her cousin, from the entire student body but a sudden voice called out to her and let her know she wouldn't be allowed to ditch classes so easily.

"Miss, I believe it is time to leave." The resident librarian Madam Pince said as she knew there was still a student left.

"Sorry Madame just gathering my reading material." Natalia smiled sweetly at her before turning around to make a face and roll her eyes in anger and annoyance. She quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out smiling again apologizing for taking so long.

"No worry dear just don't want to miss your class now do you?"

"Oh never!" Natalia said over exaggeratedly and ran out once, in the hall she made a gagging noise and said.

"Yeah right as if I'd ever step foot in D.A.D.A after Saturday." Natalia walked through the deserted hallways deciding to explore around the school while class was in session and if she were caught then so be it, detention was better than having to face Harry.

Alone in Defense Against the Dark Arts Harry was baffled as to why Natalia hadn't been at the Tree when he got there and why she wasn't in class at the moment.

"_Harry what does it matter? Someone of her caliber is FAR to good for you to try and taint with your shortcomings." _

Fear and shock rose in Harry quickly, he hadn't heard any voices since school had started and he was finally starting to fall back into a normal routine and almost enjoying life, yet just as he let his guard down they came back.

"What do you want from me?" Harry whispered hoping not to attract attention to himself seeing as how his table mate was nowhere to be seen.

"_I can't have a nice conversation with the boy who killed me? I say Harry where are your manners." _Voldemort's laugh rang through Harry's ears causing a shiver to run down his spine.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"_Now where's the fun in that?" _

"Professor!" Harry yelled much to loudly, A surprised face turned to look at him.

"Yes boy what do you want?" Sweat was dripping down Harry's face yet he had never felt colder.

"I don't feel well I need to see Madam Pomfrey." A skeptical look ran across the teacher's face and he quickly saw that Natalia was not in her seat, suspicion plagued Professor Helios' face.

"And your partner I presume is waiting for you? Keep your pants on Romeo you're not going anywhere until Natalia Zabini steps foot in this classroom." Harry looked at him as if he was insane, how could it be possible that the teacher was accusing him of trying to get out of class to go and shag Natalia?

"_Tough luck Harry, that teacher must be an idiot to think that a girl like Natalia, so beautiful charming and PURE would ever fall for a filthy good for nothing like you. Honestly though Harry what do you think she'd say if she knew your condition? Or of all the people dead at your hand? You are no better than me at least the people I killed stood in the way of my goal. You killed for sport, how did it feel to play god for a second, it's fantastic isn't it?" _His voice hissed in Harry's ear who stood and yelled.

"Shut up!" Everyone turned with look at him with fear and shock ebbed into their faces.

"Excuse me Mr. Potter? Just because you think your better than everyone else in this room and most everyone agrees, doesn't mean that I will let you talk back to me in that tone of voice I will not let you leave so sit down and do your work!" The teacher was turning red and Harry could practically see the steam escaping from his ears, on any other occasion Harry would have listened but what he wanted was a sleep drought to escape Voldemort's voice. Grabbing his satchel he stared at the teacher as he threw the door open and proceeded to slam it shut once he was out of the classroom he walked frantically towards Madam Pomfrey's office.

"_You sure showed him Harry what a rebel." _

"Fuck you." Harry tried not to scream, yet found it increasingly difficult.

"_Such foul language Potter, do you kiss your mother with- oh wait. You can't I killed her before you killed me. Sorry." _He cackled, Harry hit the air next to him before punching the wall and banging his own head on it, sick of all the talking.

"_You my dear boy, are crazy, ah enter the mudblood." _Dazed and confused Harry turned his head toward the direction of footsteps on the cold castle floor.

"Harry! What are you doing to yourself?!" A terrified Hermione asked as she grabbed hold of his head bringing it closer for inspection, before hugging him and holding back tears of fear for him.

"I'm so tired of the voices 'Mione, He won't leave me alone and he always brings back the memories, the memories, the mistake, the blood. It's all so much." He cried as his legs gave way and Harry crumbled to the floor. Hermione felt a tear fall from her own eyes and held him tighter.

"No one blames you, we know it was an accident." Memories of the battle flooded both their minds, Harry's only memories were of Ginny and her body lying lifeless in the grass, glowing it seemed. Eyes dull, mouth parted yet still as beautiful as he could have ever imagined.

"Oh god Ginny why Ginny?!" Harry screamed out feeling the pain in his soul deep down, but it was as if his body was detached from it because tears wouldn't form just misery. He held his best friend close as she sobbed at the memory of the deaths of one of her best friends. No words were spoken just tears shedding and both trying to console one another.

In a passageway hidden from the view of Harry and Hermione Natalia stared at the way the friends interacted and wondered who was the girl they spoke of.

"And just what do you think you're doing out of class?" Natalia nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned around and ran into the amused Slytherin Head Boy. "And spying I might add." She huffed and pouted.

"It wasn't spying I was merely hiding out here until class was over but those two were making so much noise I couldn't help but wonder what was going on." Draco was amused by her excuse and sat on the floor patting the space next to him.

"And exactly what do you think you're doing skiving off classes?"

"What is the point of having the head boy as my friend if you won't cut me some slack?" He chuckled and shoved her, she gasped in shock and pushed him back harder, throwing him on the floor and pinning him there.

"Bastardo." (_bastard)_ She chuckled and kissed his nose because she knew how much Draco hated sentimental things like that.

"Ugh! Cut that crap out I didn't like that shit when we met I sure as hell won't like it now." She stuck her bottom lip out and gave him sad eyes as she spoke in a little girl's voice.

"I only do it because I love youuu Drakey." The look of horror that etched on his face had Natalia roll in laughter. "Oh thank god I listened to that Pansy girl for at least a minute that was much to good." Scowling he sat up.

"So you mind telling me what happened between you and Blaise." Natalia sobered up and looked away suddenly very interested at the texture of the walls."Natalia answer my question, I have never seen Blaise that upset he was pushing everyone out of his way scowling and almost cast a spell on one of the teachers for reprimanding him, do you know how much damage I'm going to have to do to beat that?!"

"I don't care, and I don't care what Blaise did he is a nosy overbearing pain, and if your looking for me to apologize your sadly mistaking, I said nothing wrong he's the one that owes me an apology for never letting me live my life." She explained. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed.

"When have you known me to make you do anything? No one can so I don't even bother, I'm just interested in getting the story all Blaise did was spout off lots of insults and accusations about you and your doing the same thing so all I really know is that you're an ungrateful over dramatic pre-Madonna and that he is a nosy over bearing pain, mind telling me why though?" She crossed her arms under her chest and refused to look him in the eye again.

"Yes actually I do mind." Draco shrugged.

"That's fine I guess it just might be better if I don't get involved and let you both go along you merry way over something miniscule that probably doesn't matter." She stared at him angrily.

"You think him trying to control my life is miniscule?! He ruined my chances with-" Catching herself she slapped a hand over her mouth and kept it there. Smirking Draco sighed.

"Well can't blame a guy for trying although it would be nice to know which one of the imbeciles here at Hogwarts actually caught YOUR attention Miss. High Standards."

"They are NOT high standards! I merely want to make sure I love the man, and that he is pleasant to look at there is nothing wrong with that!"

"I really don't want to get into a conversation about guys, especially not with you."

"Yet I have to endure your countless tales of the whores you meet and lay all in one night?" He again shrugged.

"Not my fault I'm a hot ticket, now why aren't you in class Natalia?" She stared him straight in the eye.

"The same reason as you." He looked at her with amused impression.

"Oh so you're out on duties with the mud blood as well." She snapped her fingers in defeat and smiled sweetly at him.

"Because I wanted to see my Drakey Wakey?"

"You really want to get hurt don't you?" She laughed in his face.

"I'd love to see you even try."

"You're lucky I've known you so long."

"And that you would never do anything to upset that nitwit of a cousin I was burdened with."

"Seriously Natalia what happened yesterday you wouldn't leave his side, yet now you don't even want to talk about him."

"Point being?"

"That I want to know what happened!" He finally admitted.

"Ah ah ah, curiosity killed that cat."

"And the cat will kill the Nightingale if she doesn't tell me what happened." Rolling her eyes Natalia got bored with denying him the truth that she would eventually tell him any ways because he was like her best friend much like she was his and they confided in each other things not even Blaise knew.

"Fine Draco I'll tell only if you tell me one other thing." Helping her to her feet as they slowly walked towards the Heads' dorm to kill more time.

"Anything."

"Who is Ginny?"

Hermione left Harry in Madam Pomfrey's office and told her that he was far to ill to attend his classes for the day and depending on how the nurse saw him maybe tomorrow as well.

"What is wrong with him dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked confused, Hermione stared sadly at her now resting friend then back to the nurse.

"You don't have the kind of time to listen, take care of him Madam Pomfrey I'll be back with Ron during lunch to see how he's doing. Make sure he has a sleeping drought near by though; he may be a little hysterical when he wakes up. " That said she left in search of Malfoy who she was sure was no longer patrolling the halls in search of students skipping classes.

Sighing heavily Hermione continued patrolling the halls, even though her mind wasn't paying attention and she didn't catch sight of the familiar head of red hair dashing across the hall, but managed to catch sight of a petite blond girl being pulled quickly.

"Hey, stop! Get over here." She said snapping out of her daze and confronting the girl, who came out by herself, shooing her accomplice away. Hermione recognized the girl immediately. Her name was Naomi Hopkins A Hufflepuff in her 6th year. Looking at Hermione apologetically Naomi felt herself shrink as the head girl loomed over her.

"What do you think you're doing and where's your friend?" She stared from side to side looking for an answer.

"I wasn't with anyone."

"Then mind telling me who was holding your hand?"

"It was no one else but me I swear!" Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, she was in no mood to be doing patrols and in an eve worse mood for listening to a liar.

"OK well since I don't believe you and since you won't tell me the name of your accomplice how about I take fifty points from Hufflepuff and give you TWO week's detention, one for you and one for your little friend who you don't want to name."

"You can't do that!" Hermione stared at her incredulously before laughing.

"Excuse me but I do believe I can, I'm HEAD GIRL and therefore I can pretty much do whatever I please to a student who isn't listening."

"But that's fifty points! And two weeks your being way to harsh."

"Fifty points for being dishonest to a school official and two weeks one for you one for the friend you can't name but you will be serving the punishment for them anymore questions Naomi?"

"Fine I'll tell you!" The other body in the hall tensed up and cursed himself mentally for ever hooking up with the girl.

"Very well." Hermione waited.

"His name is... John... John Beasley."

"John Beasley? I've never heard of such a student."

"He's a transfer student!"

"The only one I've known about is Natalia Zabini."

"That's why who'd care about any other transfer student if a Zabini is coming to attend Hogwarts." Naomi lied through her teeth.

"Very well John! John come out here right now!" She demanded and the other body crept away slowly hoping not to trip and fall or make to much noise.

"He's left."

"What? Why?"

"I didn't want him getting in trouble with you."

"And why is that?"

"He's new and doesn't understand the rules?"

"Rules are everywhere Naomi. Just because John Beasley isn't from here doesn't mean he doesn't understand rules." A snort from behind caught both their attention and there in all his glory stood the head boy as prim, proper, and handsome as ever a sneer of amusement glued to his face as he stared at Hermione like she was a pitiful excuse of a girl.

"You have no real intelligence do you Granger?" Hermione glared at Draco and spat back.

"What Malfoy? You go to your side of the castle and let me do my work." Rolling his eyes Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist forcefully making her have to look at him.

"Don't tell me what to do mud blood because although you like to think you're better you aren't and you never will be. Don't be a fool and believe her lies you know damn well there isn't a John Beasley in this school, now what rhymes with John Beasley? Not even you're so dimwitted so as to not figure it out." He let go of her wrist, which was now a fiery red and strolled off towards the hall where Ron was hiding and locked eyes with him.

"Weasel." Draco didn't wait for a response as he continued walking down the halls searching for any more girls looking for a good time and not detention.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Natalia pulled the hood of her dark traveling cloak further over her eyes as she and another exited the Shrieking Shake. It only took a moment before they were walking in the deserted streets of Hogsmeade, and coming up on the housing district of the small town. She looked over her shoulder briefly to see her companion still walking silently behind her. His hood, the same as hers, covered almost half his face. To anyone that might have seen they only looked like a couple of non – descript people, if not a little suspicious.

Natalia reached into the folds of her robes and pulled out a small scrap of parchment that held an address. She didn't miss a beat as she took an immediate right at the small crossroad, and continued to walk a few more minutes before arriving at the flat the address directed her to. Pausing at the small gates she took a breath before pushing it open slowly and slipping inside, not waiting for the other person walking silently to follow her through.

Walking up the stoop she scanned the numbered buttons on the call board before ringing the one she wanted. Natalia was startled at the sound of a low, mellow male voice coming through the small speaker.

"_Yes_?"

"Uh," she said unsure of what to say, or if she had gotten the wrong apartment. "Is…Shanna there?"

"_One moment_," came the soft male voice again. Natalia jerked once more as a loud buzzing rang out around her and she looked around quickly.

"_You can open the door,"_ the same voice instructed. Coming to her senses, Natalia grabbed the door and opened it, killing the noise instantly. A hand reached over her shoulder and steadied it. Natalia turned her head slightly to see Harry giving her a black look and nod. It seemed that she had convinced him just enough to go with her, but not enough to make him any less cold to her. Some how she had managed to corner him after leaving the hospital wing at school earlier before dinner, and Natalia took advantage of his fatigued state, pleading with him to come with her to her cousin's house. Harry had only sighed and mumbled the time along with the place to meet him.

Snapping out her short reverie Natalia took a deep breath and walked through and up to the apartment to find the door open and waiting there practically undressed, was Bernardino. His white button down shirt was undone, and his faded fitted pants sagged on his hips. He had an arm propped against the frame of the open door, waiting patiently. Now, Natalia knew practically all Italian men looked like this, lithe, but muscled bodies with dark brown hair, and creamy skin, so it was not a big surprise to see how good he looked with practically no clothes on. She hadn't even known she was staring until Harry gave an annoyed cough from behind her.

Bernardino opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but a silky feminine voice spoke up from behind him.

"Bernardino," the woman purred as she walked around the corner holding a small paring knife and a bright red apple. Natalia's eyes went wide at the sight of her cousin, in what looked like to be one of her "friends" old t-shirts, and not much else.

"Who's there?" Shanna questioned as she paused a few feet away from all of them.

"Shanna!" Natalia burst out and pushed forward quickly.

"Natalia?" she allowed the younger girl to hug her before pulling away and tilting her head to the side. "What's the matter? Why are you here so late?"

Natalia looked back at Harry who was still standing in the door, and looking everywhere but at the two females in front of him. She cocked an eyebrow at the faint blush on his cheeks and turned back to face Shanna.

"I'm sorry, but," Natalia faltered slightly and her cousin nodded.

"I understand, come in, and close the door." Shanna said as she turned and headed back the way she came. Bernardino quickly walked past them and into the kitchen to start preparing tea. Natalia frowned at the man's back as they settled in at the small kitchenette. He was just too quiet and subservient for his own good. Leaning a little over the table to Shanna she started inquiring in a hushed tone.

"How do you know him, Shanna?"

"Huh? Who?" She asked as she slowly whittled away on the skin of the apple she had been carrying.

"Your, um, _friend_," Natalia stressed the word. Shanna smiled suddenly and nodded understandingly.

"Well, so far he's a great help, it would also help if I knew what he looked like," she set her apple down along with the small knife, sighing. "But with that voice he's got, I could careless if he looked like trampled dog shit."

Shanna laughed at her own joke, and Natalia smiled, chuckling slightly. It was just like her cousin to find something like that in a man attractive, though a valid, and important detail.

Bernardino returned at that moment with cups of coffee for all of them and sat down next to Shanna after he served everyone. Natalia then relayed her concerns of seeing the newspaper article in the Daily Prophet on Draco's father being out of Azkaban. The other teen merely sat quietly and let Natalia ramble on in a mixture of Italian and English as her temper rose and fell through out her account.

Shanna also listened patiently nodding here and there, humming at the right intervals.

"So, we were hoping that you had some clue of what could possibly be going on? Like did you hear father talking or…" Natalia slumped back in her seat and picked up the coffee mug. The worry was evident, and Shanna didn't need eyes to know what exactly had her in a small uproar.

The fair skinned woman stood slowly taking one last sip of her coffee before putting it down and turning for the kitchen door.

"Unfortunately, I don't know anything," Shanna said slowly. "Myself and Bernardino have reservations for a previous engagement this evening."

The man slipped beside Shanna and wrapped an arm around her small waist guiding her out. Natalia laid her head on the tabletop heaving a disappointed sigh. The two left at the table sat silently for a few minutes before Shanna reappeared in the doorway dressed in an outfit to go out in.

"However, Natalia, you can use my room. I'm sure you'll find something of interest in there," she turned only to pause and turn her face slightly. "Third shelf, fifth from the right…green top, if I'm not mistaken."

Smiling slightly Shanna headed towards Bernardino who held out his hand and as she walked out leaving a slightly stunned Zabini behind she called back to them, "just make sure you clean up any messes you make!"

Laughing, there was the familiar crack of them Apparating, leaving Natalia to frown through a noticeable blush.

"Really," the dark haired girl huffed and crossed her arms. "I wondered what she could have meant about the shelf…"

--

Hermione sat cross-legged in front of a blazing fire, with a book open on her lap, forgotten as she stared at nothing in particular. Her finger tapped out an irritated rhythm against the pages of the warn tome she had procured from the library earlier that day. She was all set for bed in her ribbed white wife beater and thin polka – dotted boxer shorts, after of course some 'light' reading from the two thousand or so page book.

Hermione was constantly spacing out, since the incident with the sixth year girl in the hallway, and what Malfoy had said.

"_Don't be a fool and believe her lies, you know damn well there isn't a John Beasley in this school, now what rhymes with John Beasley…?"_

Well of course she knew there wasn't a transfer student by the name of Beasley on the attending roster for Hogwarts, but whenever she tried to think of whom this person could possibly be her mind drew a blank. With an exasperated huff Hermione stood and let the forgotten book tumble from her lap onto the floor, scooting under the coffee table.

"Oh Merlin's bloody boxer shorts…" she muttered and dropped to her knees to retrieve it. When her fingers closed around the book's thick spin she snatched it towards her, stood sharply and turned, right into a solid body.

Hermione gave a sharp yelp and lost her footing, closing her eyes, she waited for the impact of the fall, but opened them slowly when it never came. When she opened her eyes completely she stared slightly doe eyed up at Malfoy, gripping her upper arm, and looking rather content for some reason. Hermione held her book clutched to her chest, as if using it as a buffer between the two of them.

"What?" She asked in a slightly contemptuous tone. Malfoy merely raised an eyebrow and sneered.

"You know proper manners might call for a thank you in normal society. Surely even with your, dirtied upbringing, you would know that."

"Sod off, Malfoy," Hermione hissed and yelped as he let go of her slightly tipped body, smiling in amusement when her bottom hit the floor with an audible thud.

"Right were you belong, Granger," he said looking down his nose at her.

"You great bloody prat!" she practically shrieked, and committed, in her opinion, one of the greatest sins, by throwing the book she was clutching at his head. It hit her target in the forehead square in the middle, and he too soon joined her on the floor.

"That's what you-," she started to say only to burst into a great laugh when he dropped his hand from the angry red mark marring his other wise flawless face. Hermione folded over in her laughter, holding her stomach and didn't notice as Malfoy's face reddened slightly or him pulling out his wand.

She suddenly gasped at the feeling of something gooey hitting the top of her already moussed hair.

Hermione looked up sharply her mouth hanging open slightly as she saw something white and creamy drip down into her nose. She swiped it away and looked at it sniffing and licking it.

"Whipped cream?" she said in a disbelieving voice. When she looked up she saw Malfoy smirking and balancing what looked to be a conjured whipped cream pie in his hand. He grinned sadistically as he bounced slightly in his palm and she began to shake her head.

"You wouldn't!"

No sooner did the words leave her mouth then he launched the pie straight at her face. Hermione had no time to duck and she got a mouth full of the sugary confection. She sputtered and sprang to her feet letting the pie tin fall to the floor. With a huff she wiped the cream from her eyes slowly and flung her hands down to rid them of the stuff.

"Oh you're going to get it now…" she threatened through gritted teeth bending down slightly to pick up her wand from the table.

"Don't do anything you'll regret, Granger," Malfoy warned, his body stiff in apprehension. Hermione smiled sweetly through the cream still on her face and flicked her wand, sending a silent _Aguamenti _at him, instantly soaking him with a jet of water form the tip of her wand.

Malfoy sputtered as he tried to escape the torment, and Hermione laughed involuntarily at him as she continued to hose him down. When she was done she calmly lowered her wand and fiddled with the end of it, looking suspiciously like the cat that ate the canary.

"Oh I don't believe I will regret that, Malfoy," she said with a small smile, and a batting of her eyelashes. She was so pleased with herself, that Hermione let her guard down and didn't notice as Malfoy had composed himself long enough to levitate one of the feather throw pillows off the couch and over her head.

"Oh, Granger, don't look so pleased with yourself," he said haughtily and flicked his wrist, ripping the fabric of the pillow so that the feathers flew out sticking to her.

Hermione nodded and bit her lip, "okay…okay. Your getting it now ferret!"

With that she took out after him, making him turn in the opposite direction. They spent a couple of moments chasing eat other around the shared common room, casting spells (not harmful, of course) at each other. They soon were covered from head to toe with different unknown substances, whether it be food or…what ever they didn't really know.

Somehow the direction of the chase had turned against Hermione, and she found herself pumping her legs as fast as they would go, to get away from the blonde. However she soon found herself laying face down on the floor on her stomach with a body on top of her. Malfoy had tripped on the corner of the upturned area rug and tripped knocking her down as he fell.

Hermione moaned a little as she lifted her head slightly only for it to collide into Malfoy's nose. The one hand he hand propped on her shoulder, and the other on her hip convulsed as he squinted in pain, burying his face against her back, more then likely getting it bloody.

"Damn it, Granger," he grunted as she gasped slightly and sat up carefully, pushing him to lye down with his head in her lap.

"Sorry…" she whispered as she reached for her school bag that had overturned in their 'romping' and reached for the handkerchief laying just within reach. Malfoy tried to sit up but Hermione kept a steady, but stern hand on his shoulder to keep him down.

"Stop, I'll fix it," she said calmly as she dabbed the little splatter of blood from his face. She could see that his nose was starting to swell and she grimaced.

"Let me up, Granger, its nothing magic can't fix."

"Oh just shut up and sit still. You don't need to use magic for every single thing in your life, especially something as little as this."

"Oh don't give me that crap, I saw the face you were making," he said slightly nasally.

"Quiet or I'll cast a _Silencio_ on you," Hermione ordered gently. Surprisingly enough Malfoy relaxed slightly with a huff and eyed her through squinted lids. She hadn't even realized in that moment she had been acting…_nice_, to Malfoy, and even before that, they had both been laughing, running around like childhood friends or something. The sudden realization struck her, leaving her slightly horrified. When she looked down she jerked back the hand that had been combing through Malfoy's, admittedly soft hair, as if she had been burned.

'_What the hell am I doing?'_ she thought incredulously to herself. When she looked down again she saw that the boy resting in her lap, was asleep. Hermione sagged slightly, looking around the common room at the mess they had made. Recalling the spell she had used conjure up goo filled balloons and attacking him with, she smiled despite herself. She chanced a look down at the boy in thought and raised an eyebrow at his state. His nose although a bit swollen and starting to turn blue from the trauma, still didn't look out of place on his otherwise flawless, but dirty face.

Sighing she picked up her wand and pointed it to his face and quickly cast a healing charm, then a cleaning spell. Hermione now looked down at the teen that looked back to his expected neat appearance of Slytherin Prince. For some reason she was slightly disappointed to see him that clean again. In those few moments he had seemed approachable, and not at all hostile.

Hermione had gone back to racking her fingers through his hair as her gaze drifted off and around the common room slowly. She looked down when she felt him shift in her lap, and noticed that his eyes were open, and he was staring at her with an unreadable expression. Hermione fought the blush on her face as she pulled her hand out of his hair slowly, shifting her gaze elsewhere.

She almost gasped out loud when his hand clamped down on hers and he sat up and turned, folding one leg underneath him, the other bent in front of him next to her. With his free hand, he reached out and trailed a finger down the side of her cheek, where she knew some of the whipped cream pie to be. When he pulled his hand away he stared at the stuff on his finger, then slowly started to bring it towards his mouth.

Hermione caught that the corners of his mouth were turned up slightly in a small smile. With out thinking really, also reached out her own free hand to stop him from licking it off his finger like she knew he was going to. When his eyes met hers, she didn't see the usual hostility there and her heart skipped a few beats, and her stomach fluttered slightly. But like that the trance was broken when an owl tapped on one of the rooms many windows, and they both jerked away from one another. Coughing and pulling a frown Malfoy made a show of straightening his tie before going to the window and letting the horrid beast in.

Hermione took a slow breath in as she pressed her hand to her cheek before turning back to the blond and raising an eyebrow.

"So? What is it?"

"It happens to be none of your business Granger, It's a note for me," with that icy comment out he turned on his heals, leaving her where she stood as he walked into his room and slammed the door shut. Hermione frowned then cursed to herself when she realized that he had left the clean up and repair to her.

"Damn it, Malfoy!" she shouted with a stomp.

--

Natalia frowned as she looked at the shelf in her cousin's room. Harry stood behind her with his arms crossed a slightly annoyed look on his face by this point.

"Okay why are we here again?"

Natalia rolled her eyes and turned around to face him, sweeping her dark hair over her shoulder.

"You're about to find out. If I know my cousin, and I do pretty, well she has a memory stashed somewhere of something I need to see, and if it is what I think it of, then you'll know a few facts that your so stubbornly trying to ignore."

With that she nodded her head once and turned back to the shelf and inched closer. Running a finger down the third wooden ledge of the large cabinet of vials counting as she went.

"One…two…three…four…aha! Five," she plucked the clear bottle up and tipped it so she could see that stopper in its opening. It was a bright green contrasting starkly with the silvery liquid in the bottle itself.

"Hey," Harry said as he dropped his arms and took a step towards her. "That's a memory."

"Exactly," Natalia said with a small, "told – you – so" look on her face.

"What about the pensive then?" Harry challenged back at her, not seeing the stone basin anywhere in sight.

Natalia faltered slightly and looked around the room very unsure of that one. She knew Shanna had one, but she wasn't exactly where she had stashed it.

"Hm," Natalia, hummed to herself as she walked around the room slowly taking in every little detail. Her eyes followed the pattern of the wallpaper on the wall, wondering to herself, if she were her cousin what would she have done?

Natalia stopped suddenly and backed up slowly her eyes still concentrated on the wallpaper. She then took a step towards the wall and ran a finger along a hair thin line. When she backed up a couple of paces she noticed the small fracture disappeared completely.

Smiling Natalia took out her wand and stepped back up to the wall, "Clever, dear cousin, very clever."

She remembered using this in their shared childhood. Shanna had made a hideaway for them both, exclusively to them, and used this same trick to camouflage the entryway. Natalia frowned slightly in thought as she remembered how exactly they got in. Smiling now, she raised her wand and tapped a sharp rhythm, and muttering something under her breath that made Harry raise an eyebrow.

His disbelieving look was quickly washed away when the wall suddenly slid open and a pensive showed itself.

"What do you think of that?" Natalia smirked playfully over her shoulder making Harry nod reluctantly, and she could see he was fighting a small smile of his own.

Turning back to the Pensive, she popped the stopper of the crystal vial and pointed her wand at the top of it, 'pulling' the memory out of it. She paused as she held it over the already halfway filled basin, and looked over at Harry. He nodded once and placed a hand on her shoulder. Natalia then let the memory fall into the vast amount of others; careful to concentrate on just the one she wanted.

She had to squeeze her eyes shut as it felt like the whole room tipped and she was falling, into a all to familiar place, their mansion in Italy.

_Natalia looked around quickly at the sound of a quick paced clicking coming up from behind her. She moved just in time to have Shanna walk briskly past her, cheeks flushed, her eyes still brown and alight with anger. Her knee length fitted skirt strained at the long strides she was taking to get to her destination._

_Natalia grabbed Harry's hand and tugged him along to follow her cousin. Shanna didn't even pause when they came upon her papa's office door. With a forceful push, the doors were opened and she walked in with a cold glare on her face._

_"Shanna!" An older man yelled and stood suddenly from his desk. He was clearly taken aback by the intrusion, of anyone, let alone the half-blood of the family._

_"Uncle," Shanna replied evenly._

_"Get out," he hissed and she simply folded her arms resting them under her amble chest._

_"So, I see you're still thinking of upholding that medieval pact with the Malfoy's?"_

_"That is none of your concern, you insolent girl!"_

_"Girl? Excuse but I am no longer a child…" she said through gritted teeth._

_"That much is obvious," said a greasy voice from the hearth, and out stepped none other then Lucius Malfoy himself. Shanna's eyes went wide, but she stayed still as he sauntered over to her. His cane clicking against the floor with each slow step he took._

_"Mr. Malfoy, I can't say it's a pleasure," Shanna said with little to no emotion on her face. Lucius merely smiled and kept on walking towards her until he reached her. "I though you were in Azkaban, Mr. Malfoy, or are they letting known criminals take days off from life sentences."_

_The older blonde chuckled slightly and brought his hand up to brush a curled hair from Shanna's eyes, only to have his hand practically slapped away._

_"Oh you see my dear, I have a many good connections still in the ministry itself, and it wasn't much of an effort to get things turned in my favor. Of course the papers don't know anything yet, but then again, I do have my connections there too," Lucius said smoothly making Shanna sneer in a most unlady like way._

_"Hm, still planning to force your son to marry, my cousin?"_

_"Shanna, this has nothing to do with you, you stay out of this!" Her uncle hissed from behind her._

_"Oh its every bit of my business, Uncle. I am the one that practically raised her when your wife passed away, and I came to live with you. The girl was playing with house elves for goodness sakes, not a friend to speak of. I think I can say this is my business, when I've spent almost ten years by the girls side."_

_Shanna's cheeks were now flushed an angry red, and Malfoy smiled._

_"If it wasn't for Natalia I wouldn't even have anything to do with this damn family!" Shanna exclaimed and Malfoy raised an eyebrow holding a hand up to his business partner, to soothe the anger he saw coming._

_"My dear, tell me," Lucius said as he took another step around her stopping directly behind her. "Do you enjoy the clothes you wear, and the food you eat? Even the place you live? Do you realize how much your Uncle does for you even though, your mother was obviously a good for nothing…mudblood."_

_Shanna spun around and sneered up at the tall man,_

_"I could give damn about any of that!" She snatched at the diamond necklace that sat around her neck and yanked at it, breaking the delicate chain and threw it at her Uncle, just to prove a point. Her anger had reached its peak and you could practically feel the tension crackle in the air from it all._

_"You mark my word. I'll stop you, both in any way possible. You will not force Natalia into something she does not want to do!"_

They were suddenly thrown from the memory just as Natalia saw her Uncle raise his wand and shout something. A small cry escaped her lips and fell backwards into Harry who grunted.

"Oh, Shanna," Natalia breathed as she slowly crawled off of Harry. The teen sat up and watched the girl, feeling rather foolish of how he had behaved towards her that day in Hogsmeade.

"That must have been the day she lost her eyesight, and it was all because she was standing up for me. The bastard," she whispered out fiercely as she closed her eyes and ducked her head. Natalia barely looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and didn't resist when she was being pulled into a hug.

She let her weight lean entirely on him and they sat on the floor for a long while not saying anything until Harry broke the silence.

"I had no idea…"

Natalia shook her head and looked up through her bangs to the boy holding her. His intense green eyes were practically begging for her to understand how he had felt that day and why. She couldn't help herself as she raised a hand and slowly took off his glasses. Not sure exactly why she was doing it, she pushed herself a little higher until their lips brushed against each others.

Natalia paused her advances, remembering Blaise's warning and pleading to staying away from Harry. Her brow creased slightly at that thought.

Forget him. I'm going to get what I want for once.

she thought to herself and pushed her lips against his with resolved pressure.

Their lips parted automatically for each other, and Natalia's fingers slowly snaked their way up the back of his neck and through his thick black hair. She could feel his large hands caress her slim sides slowly, which only served to send a shiver of anticipation through her stomach as it clenched when he pulled her closer to him.

A thought suddenly popped into her head of earlier that day when she hand seen him in the hallway and her frown returned, and she couldn't help but pull back.

'Ginny,' she thought to herself almost a little guiltily, even though she knew she shouldn't be.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked breathing slightly heavier then normal, but not panting. Natalia turned her eyes to his lips as she watched him breath steadier and she wondered if she could make him pant. She suddenly shook and her eyes went wide. She couldn't possibly want him to do this now, and here of all places, especially when she had seen him break down like that over a dead girlfriend. Just how was she supposed to contend with that?

Natalia was so lost in thought that she didn't notice that Harry had leaned down and started to place light kisses along her neck up to her jaw line. By the time she had though, his lips found the sweet spot behind her ear.

"Oh…" Natalia breathed as she tilted her head to give him more access. She swallowed thickly as his hands continued to send shivers practically down to her toes and his lips kept making her want to melt up against him.

Harry's hand slipped down and cupped her ass, forcing her to scoot into his lap, and wrap her legs around his waist. He leaned himself back slowly, making sure to keep his lips in contact with some sort of flesh, reveling in the feeling the pressure of her body against his brought him. Natalia just couldn't stop from sliding on down with him and resting her arms on either side of his head, her hair a dark curtain around their faces.

She gasped and Harry bit a moan out when she shifted a little to low, his hands instantly going to her hips stilling any other movement she might have been going to make. Natalia bit her lip at the sight of his eyes sliding shut, when she pushed her rear down into him, and almost smiled when his hands squeezed her hips again in warning. His breath coming out in short breathes.

Her head suddenly jerked up at the sound of a tapping on the bedroom window. Natalia frowned at the sight of a black barn owl and she looked down at Harry with an apologetic smile. She let the unpleasant creature in and it nipped at her fingers almost in reprimand at what it had witness.

Natalia snatched the note from its leg and noticed right away Draco's tiny seal. She shooed the bird away and turned to see Harry now sitting up, his face slightly red and looking very uncomfortable as he shifted slightly now and again. Natalia stifled a giggle as she unfurled the letter and skimmed it, her smile quickly fading and a frown replacing it.

'Where are you?' Was all it read, and she balled it up and threw it into a near by trash bin.

"What did it say?" Harry asked in a low tone.

"Nothing important. Shall we get going?"

Harry nodded reluctantly and they set to picking up what they had messed with before walking to the door and locking it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next morning in the great hall was odd for Harry, Natalia told him that as much as she would like to hold hands with him and kiss freely she couldn't because as angry as she was at her cousin she felt compelled to at least make it seem like she kept her promise.

"_I understand, but you better go to the tree after lunch if that's the only time I'm able to see you I will make it count." Harry said as he kissed Natalia once again behind her ear making her lean against Harry and close her eyes._

"_I'm sure you will, dirty boy." Natalia giggled as Harry feigned hurt and his hands fell from her waist. Laughing she wrapped them around her body yet again and kissed him lightly. "Who said I didn't like my boys a little bit dirty?" _

_The sudden comment threw Harry off and he groaned._

"_You're not going to make this easy are you?" She laughed and rested her head in the crook of his neck as they stood at the shoreline of the black lake._

"_I'm quite a difficult person I'm told. Sure you can handle me?"_

"_Not as difficult as me I'm sure."_

"_We'll just see won't we Mr. Potter?"_

"_I guess we will Miss Zabini."_

"_Watch you will be the first one to break and want to show the world the prize you caught." Natalia declared haughtily._

"_You are a true Zabini aren't you?" She smiled broadly and nodded._

"_Just better, so just you watch, at breakfast tomorrow you'll be dying to be near me and I? I won't blink an eye." _

"_I believe the one who will be wanting is you." Natalia simply smiled and her lips found their place atop his again._

Yet now watching her from far away as she ate her food on the edge of her table alone quietly and not very happily he would give anything to just sit next to her again.

Feeling eyes upon her Natalia looked up and deep brown met intense green eyes, looking around the room to make sure no one was paying attention to her Natalia sent Harry a great big smile and blew a small kiss to him before looking back down and moving the food on her plate around once again. Looking up she saw Harry mouth the word 'eat' to her, shaking her head and making a face that let him know she didn't very much appreciate the food.

'Don't wanna.' She mouthed back. Yet bit into a piece of toast she had spread strawberry jam and butter onto. Looking at Harry, she saw the smirk on his face and stuck her tongue out at him partially chewed toast and all.

'You're gross.' He mouthed to her and she giggled before putting her head down and ignoring him the rest of the morning, yet she felt his eyes on him and she almost willingly ate half of the food on her plate before getting up and leaving to the courtyard for a few minutes before classes started.

In the hallway she couldn't control the smile that spread across her face at the content feeling in the pit of her stomach, so she almost didn't feel when someone pulled her into an empty classroom forcefully, still in her dazed world she didn't have time to scream or even register who it was that had pulled her into the room. Immediately the other person in the room clamped a hand over her mouth and muffled the late scream to come out of her mouth.

"If your trying to hide the fact the you and Saint Potter are soon to be fuck buddies from Blaise then I suggest you stop flirting with each other from across the room, be glad it was only me who saw, much to my disgust." Natalia stared into the cold dark gray eyes of Draco. She removed his hand from her mouth and responded.

"Well seeing as how he wants nothing to do with me, much like the rest of the family there's no problem is there? What I do with Harry is no one else's business but mine." She huffed. Draco raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest and spat back.

"So why not go back and walk to class with him? I mean honoring Blaise's request doesn't matter much to you does it?" She looked at him ready to fight back his accusations but quickly shut her mouth and glared.

"I hate you." He rolled his eyes.

"Of course you do just as much as you hate Blaise which is why you'll only sneak around with Harry much like you did last night." Eyes shooting wide open Natalia gasped.

"How do you know that?!

"Has he really made you so naïve already? I recall a time when you could feel me looking at you from a mile away what's happened?"

"That was then this is now, Draco I'm not a child Harry is someone who makes me laugh and able to deal with all the stupid wenches who spread rumors who look at me with envy and hate, I don't care what you or Blaise say. I hate being envied I can't stand it when people don't know how to leave me alone let or me live my life. What does my last name matter? Who cares who I associate with?! People should spend more time worrying about themselves and their lives than about what I do." Rolling his eyes at Natalia Draco sat on the teacher's desk.

"You obviously didn't get the memo, no one cares about themselves because they are all so flawed and here they see you, miss pureblood royalty heir to the Zabini fortunes. A girl with poise, personality and charisma it's perfection to them and they hate that a girl like you, someone who's last name is so closely related to the dark lord, who's had a **seemingly** charmed life in such a beautiful place is here in Hogwarts. They think you're here to make them feel smaller than they already do."

"And why do they think that?!"

"You're here aren't you?" He saw Natalia's face start to turn red with anger and frustration.

"But I don't know them I don't care what they have to say! I came to get away from my "perfect" home with my "charmed" family and wealth! I didn't **want** to fall for Harry! I didn't come here to make them feel anything I came for me I came because I wanted to see you and Blaise again you two were the only ones that mattered! I'm sorry you guys can't stand Harry but why is it my fault that if you guys can't control me you're not happy?!"

Draco's amusement from watching Natalia breakdown was cut short as he scowled and stood from the desk.

"What are you saying?" After so much of holding it in Natalia let the pain of deception and hurt come out and she told Draco things she had been waiting years to say.

"You know I would have married you gladly that I would have been a loving devoted wife to you because yes I loved you with all my heart, but you treated me much like your father treated your mother. You didn't want a wife you wanted a lapdog you wanted me to be your personal slave faithful to only you while you played around with Pansy and anyone else who may have come along."

Shock was clearly written on Draco's face the issue of their marriage to each other was never discussed again after her father had somehow persuaded Malfoy's father to dismiss their youngest children's betrothment to one another.

"That isn't true." Draco felt his control ebbing away slightly at these truths being thrown at his face.

"Isn't it?" Natalia mocked "I'm lying about how you cheated on me with that insufferable pig faced _**prostituta**__(whore)_when you were here and I was in Italy? I lie about seeing the scratch marks on your back? The notes in your pockets?"

"So you dug through my things?" He accused, hoping rather lamely to turn the tables on Natalia.

"Voi idiota scopante. (you fucking idiot) you gave me your jackets to make sure I remembered who 'I belonged to' if I remember correctly, you don't know the pain that stabbed me the nights I cried uncontrollably because here I was foolish enough to believe that you loved me and you were out sleeping with anyone willing to spread their legs, I gave you all of me and it wasn't good enough you don't know the misery I felt to know that all of me wasn't anywhere good enough for you that all of me didn't sum up to one of those whores you slept with, and I come here and get ridiculed by the girl's in your house because they knew you were promised to me but you didn't care, and I get taunted and spoken about here in every corridor I feel the eyes on me and yet I walk around head held high because of my 'poise' well you know something Draco? I am sick and tired of having to still be faithful to you while you wave around my face that I didn't mean a damn thing to you." Natalia's body was shaking violently and the tears were falling from her eyes which only angered her more because of all the things she wanted to do to Draco, crying in front of him was not one of them.

"Shut your mouth you don't know what your saying and I won't let you belittle the way I feel about you." Draco warned. Natalia laughed bitterly and pushed Draco forcefully.

"You've never felt an ounce of anything for me, because if you had then I wouldn't have felt the things I felt I wouldn't have done the things I did for your love; your approval is more like it. You don't know what love is Draco I'm sorry if you didn't learn that because I did. And let me tell you what your father did to your poor mother is nothing like love, you think love is feeling worthless? Wanting to die on the inside so you don't feel the pain of what the man you love is doing behind your back? I'm sure you saw the pain in your mother's eyes so why Draco? Why would you do that to me? Wasn't I a friend before a lover? Wasn't I good enough? Did I ever give you any reason to doubt that I loved you with every bit of my heart? What is it that made you have to hurt me like that?"

Draco stayed silent but in his eyes there was a war of emotions raging, anger,guilt, hurt, realization. He merely stared at Natalia as she kept on pushing him forcefully. "I never judged you for the women you slept with after our commitment to each was no longer mandatory and we both chose to go our separate ways, yet here you tell me to break off my relationship with someone other then you just because he isn't someone you get along with?"

"**We** didn't choose, you did." Draco cited bitterly.

"Actually **you **chose, you chose for both of us when you laid down in that bed with Pansy for the first time or whoever it was other than me for the first time, that was when you figured I was not good enough to keep you satisfied in any way and that being with someone else was better than spending time with me."

"That's not what happened." Clenching her teeth and closing her eyes she shook her head and laughter of disbelief rang through Draco's ears.

"Please than Draco, explain to me what it is because I have trouble believing that you loved me yet still needed love from someone else."

"It wasn't about love! It was sex, it was carnal it was basic human instinct what do you want from me?!" Draco shouted angrily in Natalia's face as he stood and grabbed her arms shaking her violently. She looked away and willed the tears to stop falling from her eyes to no avail, voice cracking and eyes bloodshot she looked at him again, eyes full of pity and defeat.

"I don't want anything from you anymore Draco I just want to know I can trust you enough not to tell my cousin. If not for me then for him, he wouldn't know what to do if me and 'Saint' Potter were soon to be fuck buddies right?" That said she placed a small kiss on Draco's cheek before walking out of the abandoned classroom and in search of a bathroom to get control over her emotions before stepping foot into DADA, leaving Draco behind in a state of confusion and rage. Neither realizing that their argument had had a third listener.

The rest of the morning went by without incident, Draco took extra long to get to classes and took the halls that were opposite of Natalia's classes, yet he caught sight of her walking next to Harry as they headed towards Divination. He saw the 'look' in Harry's eyes and jealousy tore threw Draco without abandon. He knew he had no right to be jealous this wasn't something he had a say in, but girls like Natalia were rare he knew that he didn't love her yet he didn't want her to love someone else. Did that make him selfish? He knew he didn't love her because the words she spoke were absolutely undeniably true. But she was someone any pureblood would gladly kill for to have her as his lady. Status didn't matter to Natalia she wanted to fall in love, that's why she was so happy to have been betrothed to Draco when they were so young, but in his fourth year Draco made the mistake of losing his virginity to an older Slytherin girl who was in her seventh year and he soon became addicted to sex and by 6th year Draco and Natalia were no longer engaged and for almost the whole year no longer friends. How she had convinced her father to refuse to give Natalia to Draco he never knew but she did and now she was with Harry and Draco was furious. Natalia felt a heated gaze on her and she took a sidelong glance towards Draco before looking down and stepping foot into Trelawny's class the door closing behind her and Harry. Draco didn't feel like going to class any longer and instead headed back toward his dorm and decided to skiv off classes for the day.

--

Ron and Hermione were currently in the Heads' common room on the couch in the middle of an extremely heated 'study' session, where Hermione was teaching Ron the anatomy of the female body it seemed as he had one hand up her partially unbuttoned shirt and the other was caressing her partially exposed thighs. It was when she felt his hands at her knickers that she had to pull away panting for air and moaning slightly.

"Ron stop." She pushed him off of her slightly trying to sit up but couldn't as Ron was still on top of her. Kissing her neck he mumbled.

"Come on 'Mione don't make me stop now we both have a free period to do what we please in here." He kissed a trail down her exposed skin kissing what her bra didn't conceal. She pulled him away finally coming to realize what he thought she had been suggesting when she offered for him to go to her common room to study.

"I said no Ron." Exasperated Ron stood up and ignoring both their disheveled states began arguing.

"What is it now Hermione?! Since we've been back it seems like you don't want me to touch you, I don't get why you bring me up here to shag but stop me once I have a hard on?! Do you think it's a fucking game Hermione messing with my emotions?!"

"Well who would want you to touch them weasel? I mean with your low class, selfish tendencies, and promises that come a little... Short." Malfoy chuckled. "Who _wouldn't _become ill at the thought of having you touch her, even a lowly mud blood like Granger, she may be vile and beneath the wizarding world, but even she has to have standards." Ron turned scarlet with anger and Hermione stared was equally upset but by the embarrassment of having her argument overheard by Malfoy of all people and by her appearance that would draw to the very true conclusion that they weren't studying.

"You arrogant bloody prat Malfoy no one told you to butt in so get out ferret and leave us to our business! Don't you have a death eater meeting to attend to? Perhaps today you will all go and sacrifice a lamb and bring 'good ol' Voldy' back to lose again!" Before Hermione could react to the statement and scold Ron he was pinned against a wall Draco's hands around his neck cutting off his air passages.

"Don't you **ever** bloody say that to me again you filthy blood traitor you don't have a fucking clue of what went on during those meetings." Draco put more force into the choke hold he had over Ron and soon the tall boy was turning purple and beginning to struggle less and less.

Finally Hermione came to her senses and grabbed her wand casting a hex at Draco who dropped his death grip on Ron who fell to the floor gasping for breath.

"Have you lost your bloody mind Malfoy?! You could have killed him! Oh my god Ron your bleeding!" Hermione tended to his bleeding nose quickly and Draco stood in front of them and sneered in disgust.

"You pitiful fool, 'the brightest witch of this generation' my arse, you are blind to the fact that he doesn't give a right fuck about you and just his libido." Hermione stared up from Ron and stared at Malfoy in angry confusion.

"What are you rambling on about now Malfoy? I have half a mind to send you straight to headmistress Mconagall for endangering another student and have you suspended for Hogwarts like you should have been long ago!" Malfoy merely rolled his eyes and took great joy in what he said next.

"Say did you ever find your dear Mr. Beasley?" Hermione felt Ron tense up like a board.

"Malfoy." He said through clenched teeth. Draco merely feigned surprise and ignored Ron's what seemed to be pleading to shut up.

"Well let me introduce you at once! John, John!" Draco said in an almost sing song voice. Then locking eyes with Ron a sinister smile came across Malfoy's face. "Why John Beasley! So glad you could make it, I see you've already met Hermione though, does she know of your previous engagements this morning while we were in the great hall for breakfast? Or two weeks ago while you were at 'quidditch practice'? Does she know anything?" Hermione had trouble following and stared at Draco confused, exasperated Draco saw he needed to draw it out for her.

"You nitwit Ron is the Beasley you were looking for!."

"Don't listen to what he says 'Mione you know you can't trust a Malfoy!"

"What exactly would I have to gain from this Weasel? Aside from the satisfaction of having torn your self praising ego apart?" Hermione now staring blankly at Ron who was struggling to find a way out of the situation he had been placed into .

"What is he talking about Ron?" She asked, though in the pit of her stomach she already knew and was beginning to feel ill.

"Nothing 'Mione, just forget what he said, let's go out to the gardens." He helped Hermione to her feet only to have Draco cut them off from their exit.

"Now now Weasel, I can't leave miss Granger only _partially_ informed much like you have since we've been back." He smirked haughtily at Hermione who felt her blood begin to boil.

"What the bloody hell are you trying to tell me Ferret?!"

"It seems your loving boyfriend _John Beasley_ has been sleeping around with the entire school practically, I know for a fact he's already shagged Susan Bones at least once and was more then likely attempting to bed Naomi before you caught them! How does it feel to know you _could _have caught the love of your life cheating?" Draco tried to sound worried but came out laughing heartily at the look on both the weasel and the mud blood's faces.

Hermione couldn't react she merely closed her eyes then when she opened them looked at Ron.

"Is it true?"

"Hermione I-"

"-No explanations I said _is it true?" _ He looked away from her and hung his head low.

"Your different Hermione, You don't worry about what I need anymore it's only what is wrong with everyone else, it's Harry's problems or school duties, or even Voldemort, who need I remind you is dead! You don't care about us, we don't kiss or make love we don't even hold hands anymore! How many times besides today Hermione how many have we kissed? Don't blame me for having to find love somewhere else."

Inside Draco wanted to pummel the weasel and scream that what he was doing wasn't about looking for love it was about sex, but he wouldn't allow himself to because then they might think he actually gave a damn. Which he didn't he merely understood the situation.

"Get out Ronald, get out and stay away." Was all Hermione said before heading towards the portrait door and opening it for him, it was at this time while Ron was exiting that Draco got a good look at Hermione and the state she was in.

Her hair was all tousled up, making it look like she had had quite a good time before Draco had interrupted them. Her lips looked more plump and inviting then he remembered from having been kissing the Weasel before he came in. Her shirt was untucked and partially unbuttoned giving him a good view of the creamy almost alabaster skin that was hidden by school robes, he also caught a glimpse of the red lace bra peeking through. Rolling his eyes at that particular bit his eyes continued to rove over her body, he caught sight of her long flawless legs and saw the skirt was shorter than the mandatory rule which he didn't mind at all since he saw her smooth thighs as she slammed the door and began to storm to her room but found Draco had blocked her path to it.

"Move Malfoy, You got what you wanted you ruined my year here possibly many years to come for me just get the bloody hell out of my way!" She pushed Malfoy who merely grabbed her wrists placed them over her head and pinned her to the wall nearest them. Hermione was shocked to say the least when his erection pressed into her stomach.

"Get off of me Malfoy!" She cried she feeling the tears in her eyes ready to fall.

Draco didn't know what the hell was going on in his mind all he knew was that when Hermione started to scream the carnal side in him took over and he had to have her, he knew it wouldn't get far so figured he could get the itch off without tainting himself with the dirty mudblood and she would hopefully slap rather kick some sense into him before storming away.

Pressing their bodies flush together Draco reveled in the feelings Hermione struggling against him brought up. She fought to break her wrists free from his hand to no avail and she froze instantaneously when his free hand began to caress her exposed stomach.

"Who knew that a mud blood like you could have such a body? Shame really." His voice was more of a growl and it rumbled down Hermione's body to her toes.

"What are you doing?" Hermione hadn't dared to look into Malfoy's eyes she was doing her hardest to fight him off. Yet now staring at him she saw the storm raging in his eyes, for someone who seemed so cold and unfeeling she saw more than she could pin in his eyes, so many and so intense that it took the breath right out of her and she gasped, leaving her mouth free for Draco to attack.

Which he did he placed his mouth over hers claiming them for his, and to the surprise of the other they were no where near as disgusted as they had fooled themselves to believe. Draco's lips were soft full and highly skilled, while Hermione's tasted of strawberries and Draco felt like melting right into them. It took longer then either knew before Hermione realized again just who it was she was currently locking lips with and she tried meekly to pull him off but he pulled away only to breathe and kiss his way down her neck to her exposed chest pushing down her bra and releasing her wrists so he could massage her breasts while he kissed his way back up to her mouth.

The red lights and sirens went off in Hermione's head and she pushed away Draco with renewed fervor.

"No I said no get away get off of me! I'm a _mud blood_ remember? And your a horrible excuse of a man!" She shoved Malfoy away with all her strength before making a break for her room and Draco caught her just before she made it and they both fell to the floor with Draco on top of her.

"Don't think I'm like the Weasel you may be a mud blood but he said I didn't like to slum it from time to time? Besides a slut like you, I'm sure you'll love it no matter how much you fight." Draco said as he kissed her with a bruising force, Hermione tried to fight the intoxicating kisses Draco placed on her mouth and body, trying to ignore the responses her body made to his expert hands she was crying heavily, she was about to be raped in the place she thought safest. Violated by one of the people she hated most in the world. None of this bothered her to much but the fact that she didn't want to scream and was willing to succumb to him and let him take advantage of her is what scared her.

_Can I really let this happen?_


	9. Chapter 9

Draco Malfoy has always been driven with the need to prove himself somehow, that is how it was and that is the way it would always be. He knew that the things he had done in the past were not favored by many people, and knew that he had burnt many bridges along the way. Sowing the preverbal seeds in his life, as it were, he had no choice but to reap them now. Draco was instantly drawn from his deep self-musing at the sound of a low heady whimper below him, and he looked down curiously.

His eyes widened instantly at the sight below him – Hermione Granger, his self proclaimed sworn enemy, her head tossed to one side with her eyes clenched shut, a furious red blush stained her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Her beguiling breast peered out from the top of her unbuttoned school shirt, the dark navy bra-playing peek – a – boo against the strained white fabric, and her arms posed above her head where he held them there in one hand, entangled with hers in those curled locks.

It took Draco only a split second to take all of this in to account, along with the shuddering breaths she drew and it was then he noticed his own unsteady breathing sweetly accompanying her own. He closed his and grimaced as the creamy white legs wrapped around his hips involuntarily quivered. What exactly had he been thinking, he thought to himself bitterly. That Natalia was tormenting his thoughts, making him do unnecessary things it seemed.

The hand that had not been busy holding the girl, below him, down squeezed slightly before he noticed just where it was. As it were it just so happened to be mere inches, maybe even millimeters from one of the twin pliant globes that still strained against the innocently pallid shirt, which at the moment looked inviting to his hungry, but wary eyes. Groaning he pushed himself away reluctantly, only expecting the worse of this situation when he noticed that Granger had opened her eyes slowly and looked back at him eyes bright with unshed tears.

He stood slowly washing away any emotion that might have been evident on his face and slipped his hands in his pocket as he turned his back to her still prone figure; afraid that he would not be able to keep a tight reign on the emotions welling deep in him. Visibly he flinched when he heard the ruffle of her cloths as she sat up and spoke.

"What the _hell_ was that Malfoy?" she whispered in a broken voice, but he could not answer for a moment.

What _was_ that? He wondered. Was he jealous that Natalia had found someone that made her happy, the way he had all those years ago, when she was actually his? Yes, his blood did boil at the thought of Potter and his Nightingale together intimately or even casually, and just how _did_ Granger fit into his sick twisted train of thought? He had no clear-cut answer...well actually he had no answer at all.

"I don't know Granger. Chalk it up to momentary insanity." He turned to perhaps deliver another snappish comment until he noticed her face littered with tears and shinning as they dripped persistently. Her face was not grimaced or twisted repugnantly like most would have been while shedding the saline liquid, but instead it was almost passive, her brow furrowed slightly and her lips trembling faintly.

Draco turned sharply back around in the direction of his bedroom and grunted as he stepped up to the door opening it. Before he disappeared beyond its threshold he turned his head, ignoring the locks of bleach blond hair that feel into his eyes.

"Sorry…"

--

"_Sorry…"_

Hermione's breathe felt like it stopped at that one simple word. Her chest heaved, and her throat tightened. Closing her eyes she shook her head. Confused? That would be an understatement. Surprised? Not so much. Hermione wondered to herself just how long she had been deluding herself in the relationship between her boyfriend and herself.

Easy answer: probably from the beginning.

Now more complicated question: What the hell was that just now with Malfoy? Better yet why hadn't she already broken down his door and killed him the good old fashion muggle way?

Answer: Not so easy, and no ready solution to it.

Closing her eyes Hermione stood slowly moaning softly as she did. She wanted nothing more then to just crumble back down and lay there for the rest of the night, but a hot bubble bath for the next hour and a quick nip down in the kitchens sounded even better. That's the way to do it, keep yourself occupied with things that make you feel good, because the minute you start thinking about things that you don't think are bothering you, you end up a jumbled messy heap of blubbering goop, she preached to herself silently.

So turning herself and shakily walking to the bathroom on rubbery legs she prepared herself the bath she hoped would calm her nearly shattering nerves.

--

Lucius had to admit being a free man was wonderful, and what was better was that he still had contacts to do his dirty work. He had gotten information on his still loyal 'friend' Zabini's lovely little niece. The blond chuckled as he crossed his long legs in his seat on the cushioned sofa. Zabini was a fool, he thought to himself, as he let his eyes shift around the small flat. It was repulsive to him, but he endured for the time being because he wanted nothing more then to see her walk through the front door and the expression on her face when she realized that he was there waiting for her.

He had things that needed to be discussed in _earnest _because as much as he really hated to admit it, the Malfoy name was on the verge of blinking out. Lucius knew that if he was going to rebuild the pure blood family back strong he had to act now and lay all his pieces down on the board. Of course that didn't keep him from having a few cards, so to say, tucked up his sleeve.

It was late in the evening, edging on eight or so, and all he had to do now was wait. And wait he did, but not long, because he could see as well as hear the knob to the front door fumble slightly as it was opened. In stumbled the exact person he wanted along with someone he didn't.

Lucius waited until she was a good five feet away from him before he let a smirk creep onto his lips.

"Good evening my dear Shanna," he purred and grinned wider as she stiffened and gripped the man behind her.

"Lucius," she hissed back which only served to spur his amusement. Of course he was not disappointed in her reaction. Her pretty pale features hardened with hatred and her lip curled up in a snarl. She looked as if she wanted to spit on him. He chuckled lightly at the thought and shook his head as he stood.

"How are you this evening?" He asked conversationally.

"Oh I was doing great until I came home only to find it filled with vermin," she snipped back unpleasantly.

"Now, now, that's terribly rude, I know you grew up learning much more manners then that."

Lucius watched as she sucked in a sharp breath and relaxed almost instantly, her face cleaned blank and her grip gone from the man behind her.

"That's better," he said softly, but still with the same arrogant smirk plastered to his face. "I would hate to think that we couldn't talk civilly to one another."

He watched as she 'humpf'd' at the statement and crossed her arms defensively under her chest.

"How did you get in here, Lucius?"

"Please can't we chat over nice cup of tea? I have things I would like to talk with you about." He answered, avoiding the question all together. Of course he would never tell her how exactly he got in or how he knew where she lived; All though the information was far from hard to come by.

With out saying anything she walked to the kitchen with the man in close pursuit leaving the blond to retake his seat. When Shanna returned some time later walking behind the man as he carried a tray and tea set he waited comfortably by fiddling with the crown of his cane.

"Alright enough with the pleasantries Lucius, what are you here for?" Shanna muttered as she sipped on her steaming drink.

"Business as usual I see," he said with amusement.

"Indeed, it is the only way with your kind."

Lucius nodded thoughtfully as he finally picked up his drink and shipped it experimentally. Apparently she hadn't lost her taste of finer things noting it to be a particularly expensive blend.

"You might be wondering what I'm doing here? Yes, of course you are," he waved a hand dismissively in the air. "Well it just so happens that I know that you have made contact with your cousin."

"And?"

"What I need from you, is what you have said to her," he said simply. Shanna laughed dryly.

"What concern is it of you?"

"It is every concern to me," Lucius said with a slight edge of mock hurt. "Because I don't plan on letting my family name come to an end, Shanna."

His tone dropped dangerously as he eyed her. He knew very well how much Natalia hung to her half blood cousin's words, and took them seriously. It was no lie that they had grown up together and she was like another sister, not _just _a cousin.

"Well, you and my dear Uncle can do what you will to me, but I can guarantee that neither of you will get your greedy claws into Natalia," Shanna said calmly as she set her cup down and crossed her own legs.

"Even if it meant your life?" He hissed as he sat forward.

"Even if meant my life," she said with out hesitation. Lucius let an irritated grunt pass through his lips. The woman was just to stubborn for her own good. "You will not get what you want from me, not by means of torture, threat of death or even Occlumency. You can thank my Uncle for that one," she made a vague motion towards her blind eyes. Yes he could see clearly that he would not be able to read her mind that away seeing as how he needed to make eye contact with her, and she probably knew that he was not a very strong occlumen's to begin with.

"Well, Shanna, there are other ways to find out what I want to know. There are always _ways,"_ he said as he pushed down his impatience. "Just know that it could not only mean your life coming to and end, but…others as well."

She arched an eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving look before she picked back up her cup and took a sip.

"I do think you've made your point, Lucius. I'll watch my own back, but," she paused and gave him a small smile. "Just make sure you watch your own."

"Oh, threats do not become you my dear."

She hummed and didn't make a move as he apparated out of her apartment.

--

When the morning came for Draco it was actually pleasant as long as he didn't allow his thoughts to drift to the previous night. And as luck was being somewhat generous with him that morning, he didn't even spy either girl's always present in the back of his mind upon exiting his room or on his way down to the Great Hall. He carefully kept up his usual indifferent, passive, and cold mask as he slowly walked through the milling morning crowds. For a brief moment he thought he would actually be able to enjoy a breakfast, but as he entered the Great Hall, and his eyes rested on his house table he knew that something was amiss.

Almost every pair of eyes there was locked onto him, and much to his chagrin, it made him hesitate. He brushed the feeling off as he walked up to his place and sat down next to Blaise. Draco closed his eyes and held in a sigh of irritation before reopening them and pinning his friend with a glare.

"What is it?" Draco let his gaze wonder around to the faces surrounding him, and he couldn't stop the slowing creeping impression of trepidation. Blaise finally coughed to draw his attention back to him and handed Draco a neat white envelope. At seeing it, Draco had to resist the urge to jerk away. There was nothing dangerous looking about the inoffensive looking paper that startled him; it was the wax seal that was pressed out on it, now laying face up for everyone to see.

Drawing in a deep breath he could only close his eyes in hopes that when he reopened them, that small envelope would be gone. It seemed luck and fate had only been toying him, and now they were opening mocking him. Cracking his eyes he tried to resettle his flaccid mask, but knew that his paled skin gave it away just how nervous he was.

With a small frown he reached for it and trying not to hesitate as he cracked it open. He didn't need to read this letter to know whom it was from, and neither did any of the tables occupants. No doubt if they didn't see the seal they saw the owl delivering it.

"Father…" 

Yes, it was undoubtedly from his father, because Lucius was always such a predictable man. Not one for tact or changing traditions, his father had always used a certain type of currier, more often then not the Eurasian Owl. With out a word, and clenched jaw, Draco stood and motioned for his child hood friend to follow.

Things were about to get a bit messy, and as much as he didn't want to approach the sharp-clawed little Nightingale, he had no choice.

"Father, just what do you have planned…" 

--

It didn't take long to see that Natalia was not in the Great Hall that morning eating breakfast, at the Slytherin or Ravenclaw house tables, which led Blaise and Draco to start their search of the castle grounds. Draco knew that if Blaise saw his cousin with Potter, a small blood bath would start. He didn't like the idea of a pure blood such as Natalia being with Potter any more then his friend, but it was of small consequence compared to what the contents of the letter. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as they continued to walk searching for the dark haired beauty, and his guts felt as though they were being tumbled about by over zealous toddler.

Taking a deep breath Draco and Blaise approached the edge of the Black Lake and took a look around. It was the blond that spotted them first, and he cut his gaze to his friends' back, which was conveniently to the couple. Clenching his jaw then quickly licking his lips he stepped in front of Blaise and looked deliberately in the wrong direction.

"How about we split up, you go towards the green houses, Natalia likes to go there sometimes in the mornings," Draco said steadily, but avoided looking at the boy directly. Blaise nodded nonetheless and headed in the direction. He waited until hot-tempered Zabini was far enough away before turning and heading towards the couple. As he approached, the couple was oblivious to his presence and nauseatingly wrapped up in each other.

Draco stopped short of them and looked at them for a moment before clearing his throat to catch their attention. At the noise they both looked up startled and Potter frowned instantly.

"Before you start, Potter, I need to speak with Natalia about something very important," Draco paused before plastering on his trademark smirk. "Alone."

"Che cosa e esso, Draco?" ("_What is it Draco_,") Natalia asked softly in Italian.

Draco dropped his smirk and looked off, "We need to speak in private."

"Non sta andando da nessuna parte. Che cosa voi desiderano?" _("He is not going anywhere. What do you want?" )_

Sighing he turned back to the girl still held firmly in the boy who lived arms before scowling more fiercely at her stubbornness.

"Fine, sembra che abbiamo problemi '_famiglia'_ non finita del che devono essere discussi. Sen non lo disiberate peruna scena suggerisca che venite con me." (_"Fine, it seems we have unfinished 'family' problems that need to be discussed. If you do not wish for a scene I suggest you come with me." )_

Draco noticed Harry's gaze shift curiously back and forth between the two as they spoke.

"What do you mean?" Natalia said forgoing to speak her native tongue and raising an inquiring eyebrow at him. Draco didn't say anything as he slipped a hand into the folds of his school robes and pulled out the same envelope he received in the Great Hall. He watched with mild satisfaction as Natalia's eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of the seal. Her stare slowly shifted to towards Harry's before she stood carefully, leaving her boyfriend sitting on the grass.

With an irritated sigh Draco looked away as she bent down to kiss him and mumble something to placate him. The Malfoy heir grasped her upper arm when she approached and steered her away until they stood at the shore of the lake.

"Okay, what is this about Draco," Natalia asked as she nudged a fat rock with the toe of her shoe.

Without saying anything he handed her the letter and gave her a moment to read it through.

"I assume you know what this means?" He questioned as he watched her out of the corner of his peripheral as her small hands tightened around the paper and her jaw muscles twitched in anger.

"We need to see Shanna," she finally said. "She will now more about what is going on."

"I have no doubt that father has already gone to see her. He is not a man that is easily put off about something and is annoyingly informed about things he ought not be."

Natalia nodded in agreement, "I will write my cousin and ask her about this. Does Blaise now?"

"He is the one that gave it to me this morning."

"I see," she said softly before letting a whispered string of curses in Italian.

"It would probably be better not to see Shanna about this. My father more the likely has people watching her, and there is not much telling what he will do. I'm sure that Azkaban has done a number on his sanity," Draco smirked before ducking his head. "Not like he had much sanity to begin with."

"True," Natalia replied with amusement. "But Draco, she is probably the most informed about this matter then anyone else. Perhaps she can help us in someway."

She turned to face him fully then and forced him to look at her as well.

"You know I wouldn't have objected to this a couple of years ago, but our time to be together has passed and neither one of us deserve to be wrangled into something that either one of us will be unhappy with."

Draco nodded in understanding and looked over his shoulder and smirked. "I suppose you'll be happy with some like him, right?"

Natalia followed his gaze and smiled slightly. "I believe so."

She looked back at the tall blond before walking past him and pausing when their shoulders were flush together. "And I also believe that you'll find someone that will make you happy. Someone that is not me, but _qualcuno forte capo quanto voi_." Natalia pressed the letter from Lucius back in his hand.

Draco turned sharply as she walked away and watched her inertly.


	10. Chapter 10

_Draco,_

_Holiday is coming soon and I expect to see you at our vineyard in Venice with Natalia. You and your bride to be must be present to begin the planning of your wedding. This bonding of families will create a new breed of pure bloods superior to any other, once you both graduate from Hogwarts both me and her father see fit for you to be married at once and as soon as that happens I expect a MALE grandson no later then the end of next year understood?_

_Natalia is the perfect wife for you, if you don't see her fit then simply find a mistress who satisfies those needs she can't. Yet don't allow any of them to bear your child we needn't any bastard children trying to claim our fortune. Although Natalia doesn't seem like the type to leave you wanting more, yes that girl is perfect to bear my grandson and the children to come after that. I expect you here as soon as possible and keep your eye on that girl. Don't let her get to close to anybody if she gets away from you again the price will be heavy for both of you. _

_Lucius_

Natalia tried to put that note in the back of her mind as she walked back to Harry who was currently lost in his own thoughts as he stared off into the black lake. She herself stopped to take him in.

Was she really letting herself fall for the 'Great' Harry Potter?

The strength he had both physically, emotionally and mentally was astonishing to her and even though he had lost so much and been hurt by so many he still allowed her into his heart. Granted the first month or two were extremely rocky due to denied attractions, Natalia didn't know what to do with these emotions building up much to quickly for her liking. All she knew was if these feelings were anything like what she felt for Draco the it wouldn't be long before Harry too found that she wasn't sufficient enough for him as well.

_It isn't like this matters to him we've only just started a relationship, I'm just here until the end of school then I'll be gone and he'll forget about me._

Will I about him?

_I must, I won't allow any one to hurt me anymore._

But I think I'm falling in love.

_Love is for sad FOOLS! This isn't love Natalia you know this isn't about love! Love isn't real!._

...Love isn't real.

_Exactly I just need to remind myself I'll be fine. _

...Love isn't real.

So then why was it that her heart felt like it was breaking just by thinking that he didn't care? And what was the explanation for the tears escaping her eyes? Before she had time to register that she was crying Harry was rushing towards her concern shone in his eyes as he cupped her face and kissed her forehead as a form of comfort.

"What's wrong Natalia?" She cried harder, yet smiled.

"Nothing why would anything be wrong?" He looked at her worried even more so and wrapped his arms around her small body as she let herself cry into Harry.

"Is this about your canceled marriage?" The tears stopped and her sadness was replaced with shock.

"How do you know about that?" Her tear filled eyes stared at him quizzically, he looked off to the side a guilty look on his face.

"Well I happened to over hear your argument with Malfoy, that's why I was worried he may have said something to hurt you." Harry was ready for the fire to shoot out her eyes for his eavesdropping yet all she did was force the tears back and hug him tighter as a sign that she needed comfort and he complied squeezing her as tightly as he dared.

"I don't want to marry Draco, Harry how can I marry someone I don't trust? Let alone love. My father promised me I wouldn't have to but ever since Lucius was released from Azkaban it seems that the only person's happiness he cares about is his and Mr. Malfoy's."

"You deserve better than Malfoy, you shouldn't have to cry because he can't see that a girl like you is one in a million, your everything that a man could want and all your little quarks, like your ridiculously short fuse that a simple wrong look can set off, or the way you rant in Italian leaving the rest of us in a state of confusion and fear, even the way you refuse to eat anything you haven't seen or helped cook they make you so special. I haven't met a girl who loves spiders yet can't stand mud, who's so unbelievably sexy yet prefers to play a game of quidditch or football over being inside and reading some magazines while eating bonbons." Harry saw the smile on Natalia's face and the slight blush forming on her cheeks from the compliments she was receiving. "You may think all men are like Malfoy or will end up like him, but there are some of us who actually think with the head on our shoulders and not the one in our pants." Harry kissed her cheeks, forehead, nose and finally placed a sweet tender kiss on her lips that took Natalia's breath away.

"And better yet there are some of us who prefer our hearts over either head." She laughed and the merriment on her face over the previous misery caused Harry to break out into an uncontrollable grin as well as he hugged her.

"You make it difficult to not believe the words you say." Natalia whispered, her comment threw Harry off and he asked.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because if I fall in love then what?"

"Then we just see where the road takes us." Natalia rolled her eyes, she really hated that stupid metaphor but loved the sentiment Harry meant. Yet all the sweet words he spoke did nothing for the dread she felt at the knowledge that if something didn't happen soon come this time next year she'd be with child, Draco's child and her life would be nothing like she would have wanted. In the distance they heard the bell ring and Natalia sighed.

"You go ahead I want to think for a bit."

"And leave me alone so Helios can breathe down MY neck? What kind of girlfriend are you?" Harry accused.

"The kind who has her boyfriend wrapped around her finger of course." With that she gave him his farewell kiss as she watched him walk back up to the castle she couldn't help but let her eyes roam his body.

_That boy was BLESSED with looks and a body, god help me_.

She giggled at that one thought before retreating back to her and Harry's special tree and plopping down on the floor alone in her thoughts Natalia finally felt like maybe she could sort everything out one problem at a time.

_I can't marry Draco I don't want to throw my life away._

Natalia tossed around the idea of maybe marrying but still seeing other people, but quickly threw it out the second time she considered it.

"No! I won't do that it isn't fair to anyone, we deserve better than a false marriage." Natalia felt even more frustration building up as she caught sight of Harry's young female friend walking along the shoreline of the black lake, noticing she had yet to spot Natalia, she decided to hide and quickly ran behind the old tree it's roots shielding the small girl from view.

Hermione couldn't get the feeling of Malfoy's hands roaming her body away, she simply closed her eyes or let her mind wander and she'd feel him on top of her again his hands touching her in places that no one had ever dared to get near, yet true to his persona he didn't give a bloody rat's ass and violated her body in such a pleasurable way that Hermione almost didn't mind.

And that made her sick to her stomach, that Draco Bloody Malfoy, her worst enemy. The epitome of everything she loathed and despised in a person and in this world could have caused her a sick amount of pleasure just with his hands and mouth. She plopped down in front of an old tree that provided shade and protection against the November winds, staring down at the ground she began to pull on grass beneath her.

She hadn't been able to think about anything other than the events that took place the day before, from having to confront the fact that Ron had been cheating on her since they arrived back to Hogwarts to Draco nearly "raping" her on the common room floor. She hugged her knees close to her chest and felt tears falling from her eyes, how could she have been so naïve as to allow herself to get played like a game. Then permit herself to get felt up by the one man on earth she would have bet money on never getting anywhere near her or her body. Sure her life hadn't been perfect far from it to be honest, but this was utter catastrophe. Hermione was thinking of resigning her position and telling McConagall, how could she walk into the Head's common room without reliving what had happened less than 24 hours ago? She didn't want to let Draco win, but it seemed like all he had done this year was make her life a living breathing hell.

"How could I be so stupid as to allow that to happen even for a second?" God I couldn't be anymore dumb. It was bloody Malfoy, simply because Ron cheated didn't mean I had to let him do this to me." Hermione cried.

Meanwhile the unknown second presence made a clean exit and ran up to the school to walk maybe through the gardens, because now she had much more thinking to do.

[i_What exactly did you do with that young muggle born? Draco Malfoy you really are a Dragon_[/i

Blaise Zabini couldn't help but worry about his cousin, granted this had been the biggest disagreement they had but he didn't want his Nightingale unhappy. He had forgotten completely about his class and was busy searching the grounds for her. He spotted Natalia what seemed like hours later making her way slowly towards the Green House he was just stepping out of, for a second he began to rush away but instead stood at the door and waited. She was so consumed by her thoughts of an impending marriage Blaise assumed she didn't realize anyone other than her, not until they were nearly face to face did she finally snap out of her mind and look blankly at Blaise.

Unsure of what to say Natalia looked down in an almost shameful manner, what could she say to her cousin after she blew up on him then went and back stabbed him by starting a relationship with Harry, that she couldn't see herself ending any time soon. Because other then being extremely attractive and an even better kisser, amongst other things she was beginning to find out above everything else he was quickly becoming her best friend and not even Blaise could keep her from him. But Blaise was also her best friend always there for her when her father beat her or her sister tormented her with truths she didn't want to confront. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye until she heard him speak.

"Ciao là bellezza. _(hi there Beautiful) _I've missed you Nightingale, I wasn't right in-" Blaise's apology was cut short as Natalia flung her arms over his neck and kissed his cheeks repeatedly apologizing over and over again.

"Milione volte spiacenti spiacenti spiacenti sopra sono spiacente (sorry sorry sorry a million times over I'm sorry) please forgive me for taking out my anger on you cousin it's just things haven't gone exactly as I had thought and now with this marriage issue? I can't marry Draco knowing the value he places on fidelity and me as well, how can I allow him to cheat? I am no one's fool Blaise and I will not be his again." Natalia said as she pulled away Blaise smiled sweetly and chuckled at her paranoid rambling, hugging her tightly he petted her hair as a form of calming.

"Breathe Natalia, I'm sure this will get worked out soon enough but for the time being when vacation comes please don't do anything that might make your father or sir Malfoy suspect anything other then that you are going to marry Draco and become the next Lady of Malfoy Manor." Sensing her impending arguing Blaise quickly continued.

"Only for the holidays cousin, once we come back Lucius will surely have put less surveillance around Shanna's flat and we will be able to meet with her and discuss this all calmly, we all know that she is the master of plots." Natalia sighed and nodded.

"Very well, now what are you doing out of class Mr. Zabini? What would zia Gianna do if she heard that her only baby were skipping classes?" Natalie teased her cousin as he was always aiming to make his mother proud, although she was portrayed as unattentive towards Blaise she loved him very much and doted on him hand and foot. So Blaise felt the need to show his gratitude by excelling at anything he tried. Yet Blaise seemingly unfazed by Natalia's teasing merely wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they walked through the gardens of Hogwarts.

"And what might I add will she say when she learns that her favorite niece has been spending more time out of class then in? hmm nightingale? I mean I'm sure that she wouldn't be pleased to know that your head is more focused on a certain green eyed classmate of ours and not your divination or charms homework." Natalia's face turned as red as the roses and she looked to the ground.

"What are you talking about Blaise? Look over here! These flowers are simply gorgeous." Natalia ran to a meadow of white royal lilies and tried to ignore the feel of Blaise's eyes upon her. Yet his gaze burned into her very core and she knew that she had been caught.

Her cousin knelt down beside her and focused his attention on a particular lily that stuck out from the rest.

"Lying is not befitting for a beauty like you Nightingale, it wasn't difficult to figure out that there was something between you and Potter." Natalia felt tears of guilt welling up and she forced them back as she looked the other way from her cousin who was now gently picking up the white lily outlined in a marvelous shade of blue. He placed a hand on her shoulder but she pulled away and hugged her knees to her chest as she was losing the fight to her tears. Blaise lifted her chin up and looked into her teary brown eyes.

"It wasn't difficult to figure out that you were angry at me for making you promise to stay away from him, and I had a feeling saying that would push you into his arms quicker, I have my reasons for wanting you to stay away from him, a great deal of them are for your chastity and virtue." Both cousins laughed for highly different reasons and Blaise continued.

"I would hate to know what would happen if it were found out that you and him have a relationship but I take it I won't be able to convince you to end it anytime soon right?" Natalia shook her head.

"Not for all the money in the world cousin, I wanted to honor you but I felt the need for my own happiness." Blaise smiled and moved some hair behind her ear before placing the lily there.

"I guess that should be enough for me right? But so help me god if he harms you or tries anything with you Nightingale I will make sure to kill the boy who lived!" Natalia laughed at her cousin's protective intuition for her and found she had missed her "guard dog".

"I understand caro cugino."

"There is one more thing you must understand?"

"What is that cousin?" She looked at her cousin quizzically as they sat in the field of flowers like they used to when they were younger back in Naples before he moved to England.

"You and Harry mustn't be together in public, that me and Draco know is one thing but if word gets back to Lucius that your not indeed with Draco all hell will break loose and I don't want to be there when him and your father hear that instead of focusing on your marriage your focusing on Harry Potter that is a can of worms that none of us want to open." Natalia knew in the back of her mind that this would happen of course it would, it wasn't like just because Voldemort was gone all his bigot followers would disappear as well. Yet to have to hear it from her cousin that this relationship with Harry would have to remain secret probably as long as it lasted was a horrible reminder of her heritage and the traditions and views she was expected to uphold, in one month her Blaise and Draco would be on a train back to Italy and for two weeks time she'd have to be "devoted" to Draco's every whim and knowing the cheeky bastard he was he'd taunt her with it, the only good thing about this entire situation was she'd be able to take out her frustrations on him when they were on the privacy of their most likely joined bedroom.

"I hate father." Was all she said as rage consumed her.

"I know you do amore but you mustn't allow him to get to you so much. Now come let's go before we get caught." Natalia looked at her older cousin and smiled a smile that Blaise knew all to well.

"But cugginnoo, we've already spent this long out of class why not stroll the school yard I'm sure sir Hagrid wouldn't mind us sitting in on his class with the first years, I love the animals he has there and maybe we can see the thestrals and-"

"Natalia! We must get to class." Natalia pasted a saddened faced and her lower lip trembled as she got teary eyed and nodded sadly, beaten once again Blaise sighed and shook his head.

"Una attualmente delle vostre rotture di coccodrillo non lo imbroglierà più _(One of these days your crocodile tears won't fool me anymore)_FIne let's go." Instantly Natalia's sad face was replaced with one of glee and she tackled her cousin in a bear hug and showered him in kissed.

"I love you, il mio orso di orsacchiotto (my teddy bear)" She told Blaise in a baby voice as she giggled and screamed as he tried to catch her.

Off in the distance in a classroom miserable alone Harry spotted his girlfriend and her cousin running through a field of Lilies and aside from feeling a content feeling in his stomach he also reminded himself to be mad at Natalia for having him do all the work in this class.

_Well at least until she kisses it better._

Harry smiled at the pleasant events that would be awaiting him during lunch, then frowned as Helios screamed at him to get his head out of the clouds.

_Scratch that she better have something better than kisses._

Harry that as a mischievous smirk crossed his face and he spent the rest of class fantasizing possible ways for Natalia to apologize to him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer - We own nothing, in this chapter or previous. Thank you for reading. Lemon warning ahead please do not read if you will be offended or underage (though I know it won't stop anyone -.-)**

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Chapter 11

To say that Hermione's world had slowly come to a stop would be a gross understatement. She could practically feel the bits of peeling walls of her world falling away around her. It was that bloody Malfoy's fault…no; no she supposed she couldn't blame him entirely on this one. There was Ron, the greatest idiot who ever was. It wasn't as though she wasn't ready to go further in her relationship with her former boyfriend, but there was something holding her back. Probably the same niggling feeling that had always been present, she supposed.

So now here she was in her own self imposed reclusion in the head dormitories, and it had been days since finding out the _entire_ truth of what had been going on behind her back. And she couldn't help but feel rather stupid about the whole thing. She had practically turned a blind eye to it all deep down _knowing_ what was going on, but completely and utterly unwilling to see it for what it was. Well no more self-delusion for her. Oh no, it was all very clear, and glaringly obvious at this point.

Something, Hermione did _not _want to deal with. She mussed silently to herself if she had ever really wanted a real relationship to begin with. Was it something she just accepted to get a sense of normalcy back into her life?

More then likely

Snorting, Hermione carefully picked up a cashew from the assorted nuts and dates in the small bowl in front of her and chewed on it thoughtfully. She had no idea if people were wondering on her odd behavior for the past couple of days, but she didn't care. She had started to skip meals instead she had taken to going down to the kitchens early in the morning for breakfast, and later in the evening after curfew for a quick dinner. Or even times like now when her nights had gotten longer, and time for sleeping shorter, were she nipped down for a late snack.

Humming to herself in thought she studied the pale smooth contours of the cashew in her hand before popping into her mouth and crushing it violently between her teeth. To make things a _lot_ worse, not only had she been contemplating on her own woes, but also she noticed that a certain pale blond head boy was beginning to have a change in schedule. He seemed distracted and more irritable then usual. Stopping every once in a while when they passed each other in the common room and giving her a unreadable look before going on. Not two words were spared between them since that day he had kissed her into a fitful hazy lust filled cloud on the common room floor.

And god how she did _not_ want to admit that

Oh but it was so gloriously obvious in her mind. Why wasn't she more surprised or concerned over the situation that happened with Ron? Oh yes that's _right_ she wasn't astounded because she had known this was going to happen. Or maybe she didn't and she just was accepting it, because she never had those kinds of feelings for the red head anyways. Either way, the real issue here was Draco Malfoy…

Draco…Malfoy…

The ice prince, the Slytherin sex god, the one boy that actually did make a tingle of pleasure run down to her toes when he sent one single cold look her way. But she did _not_ find him attractive in that way.

Absolutely…_not_…

Closing her eyes she fell onto her back into the couch and closed her eyes heaving a small sigh. Just then she heard the common room door open and knew that is was Malfoy making his way in. It was well passed midnight and so the only light source here was came from the fireplace. Barely providing enough glow from its low embers to let anyone see. But it didn't stop her eyes from catching his lean silhouette as he walked silently in distracted by the looks of it.

His head and eyes down cast as he made his way to the armchair and sat down with out even blinking. She watched him run a hand through his hair disheveling it, quite charmingly. Hermione had to keep herself from snorting at that line of thought

She _not_ find Draco Malfoy anything close to charming…right. She found him rather slimy, pompous, arrogant…and…sexy. Oh yes, those were better words to describe him. But not _charming. _Certainly not, and by the looks of him he looked rather tired while he was still deep in thought. She saw him bring a hand to his tie and loosen it as he unbuttoned the top buttons, and then shrug off his school robes limply.

Why was it that he, instead of Ron, made her insides flop nervously? Who knew, but Hermione was only human after all, and on one side of human nature was basic instinct. And that instinct was yelling at her to get up and pounce.

Pounce…. now that idea did make her laugh out loud. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Princess did not _pounce_. (Ah, yes she knew people called her, among other things.) The sound of her amused chuckle finally alerted him to her presence and he raised an eyebrow. Slowly she rolled over and came to a startling realization – it was that she _didn't_ care what people thought or expected out of her at this point.

And she was about to test some highly dangerous waters.

Hermione let her legs slide off the side of the couch, as she stood slowly very aware of his eyes on her the entire time. Was this a good thing? She wondered, oh well time for more testing then.

Turning to face him, she caught his wondering eyes stop on her bare legs. She was still in her school skirt, the one that was dangerously to short for regulations (one from third year if she recalled correctly.) She wore no kind of stockings or shoes, and her collared white button up shirt was undone rather low, dangerously peeping cleavage for anyone's eyes to see.

Hermione reached up to her hair and pulled out the wand that held her hair in a loose bun and proceeded to re – do it, all the while letting him get his eye full.

"What are you doing up so late, Malfoy?" She asked in a low even tone taking him by surprise. His gaze snapped up to her impassive face and she couldn't help that little tingle that squirmed its way down her stomach. She kept from biting her lip and instead opted to title her head to the side curiously.

"Why would you care, Granger?" He growled out with a snarl on his delicate features. How was it even fair he was prettier then her? Hermione wondered but shrugged nonchalantly anyways to answer his question.

"I don't…Draco," she all but purred out as she took a slow calculating step towards her. She saw the flit of shock cross his face as she continued leisurely towards him_. 'Okay that's it, Hermione, one step at a time; you can do this, don't look foolish now, all you gotta do is initiate,' _she preached to herself as she continued her short journey.

She was almost forty five percent sure that he would take over if she ever made to him, judging from all the times he had, had her pinned against a wall, or straddled her waist in this very room. But Merlin did her insides feel like they were having a fiesta with her organs.

Hermione noticed he had shifted to sit up straighter and a frown of suspicion was marring his cool mask. He didn't say or move anymore then that as she finally came to stop in front of him. Lifting her right leg she slowly brushed the flesh against his knee and let it slide into the space between the chair and do the same with her other leg, planting her hands on the back of the headrest on either side of his head, as she sank into his lap with antagonizing slow precision, that even she didn't know she possessed.

"What are you doing, Granger?" he rumbled warningly his eyes narrowed.

"I'll ask you one better, _Draco_," she whispered when she dipped her head down close to his ear. "Why is that I don't care about what I found out about Ron, and all I've been able to think about is…_you_."

His hands flew to her hips, catching her completely off guard, and when he squeezed the flesh there she pushed down on him in rebellion. She was going to get this infatuation with the boy out of her head if it killed her. Hermione didn't like that he has been on her mind since arriving at school, she didn't like that this situation was thrilling and her stomach felt like it was slowly melting from the small contact already.

" I have no idea what you're talking about…_Hermione_."

Merlin, why was he growling like that, she wondered briefly before she felt his hand wonder from its place on her hip to the nap of her neck and roughly pulling her in to his mouth. Her mouth opened immediately for his waiting tongue, no even giving him a chance to ask for entrance, just _giving _it to him.

With a sigh she let her place on his lap slip somewhat so her bottom rested just below his groin, and the hands that had been clutching the back of the chair fell to his shoulders and down his chest, sliding a path to his stomach. Of course she didn't miss the way the muscles there rippled under her hand.

Arching her back she pushed her chest onto his and broke the kiss to tilt her head back exposing the expansion of willing flesh for his mouth. Being the sort of guy he was he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth and instantly attached his hungry lips to the hot skin. His menstruations earned him a quiet moan from her throat, and even as things started to slowly become hazy yet again at the mercy of this tongue and lips, Hermione still couldn't help but wonder, why him, why not someone else. Someone who wouldn't call her names or thinks of her as being lower then himself. Sure there was the physical attraction there. The Greek body, the money, the status, but more over she knew he was intelligent.

His grades were very close to hers in almost every academic stand point, and Hermione knew then that this was something that Ron would never be able to stand up against her. He was all brawns and no brains.

And as if he was reading her thoughts, breaking through the miasma that had settled on her coherent thinking process, he murmured against her skin, not willing to break the contact, "so tell me…why…are you so…willing to do this."

He grunted the last part as Hermione rolled her hips against his.

"Recent studies have shown that certain physical characteristics stimulate…a part of..the brain…c-called the…hypothalamus," she panted out slowly trying desperately to snatch at facts in her clogged brain. Hermione pushed away from his mouth and ducked her head kissing his chin and then the juncture where his neck and shoulder met, right on the pulse. She grinned to find it slightly erratic.

"Which of course is followed by sensations such as a accelerated heart beat, perspiration, and in general…sexual arousal." Her tongue wound a path from that frantic beating vain up the long column of his neck to his ear where it traced the path of the outside of his ear, earning a shudder on his part for her efforts.

"Know it all," he muttered under his breath as it hitched despite himself. Growling yet again when he felt her smirk against his flesh. His dominating hands quickly found her hips again and turned her roughly in his lap. His legs prying in between her thighs and widening them for him, "I bet you've never even been this far with a man. Don't get smug on me, Granger."

Her head fell back to his shoulder and she could have sworn she was going to spontaneous combust, by the feeling of the heat that licked over every inch of her body. Hermione grunted in attempts to stay quite but the hot lusty little things he was whispering in her ear, not really comprehending at this point, made it hard to keep herself together.

No she can honestly say that this was far more then she had ever felt for Ron. Her eyes practically rolled to the back of her head when his fingers ghosted over her chest the other hand making its way lower down her stomach. She made a conscious effort not to appear to eager though that was probably pointless at this moment.

Hermione's hips jerked suddenly when his warm fingers slid over her panty covered mound and tugged them to the side with no preamble, sliding their way over the already slick folds of her lips. She couldn't stop the heady whimper that spilled from her lips and the low fire in the hearth in front of them seemed to have come to life engulfing her in a heated trap she couldn't escape, even if she wanted. This was all metaphorical of course, this heat she felt was consuming her from the inside out causing her to tremble and strain in silent pleading want to feel more pressure from his fingers as they lazily made circles against the aching bundle of nerves.

Hermione's breath tore ragged from her chest as she panted stiffly against him. It was if her body moved on its own violation, picking up on the natural impulse to grind against him and his hand. There was no logically negotiation on why she was acting this way, it was purely instinctual, and she had no right to deny it. And from the feeling of his own arousal pressing hard against her rubbing in between her ass, he wasn't thinking to much on the coherent side of things either.

The boiling tight string she felt growing taut in her lower stomach was deliciously close to snapping; her thighs shook from unbridled strain and she just wanted it to break, wanted to feel that euphoric bliss that she would into fall afterwards. Hermione gasped however when he removed his fingers, somewhat reluctantly and pushed her so he could stand.

Draco's hand instantly went around her waist to steady her when he saw her legs shake, threatening to give way at any moment.

"Not here, Granger," he whispered in her ear, nipping at the lobe and picking her up making her wrap her legs around him. With purposefully long strides he made his way to his door and kicked it open easily and deposited her on his bed. From the small break in their contact, the warnings flagged in her mind. '_Are you really going to let this happen? Could you?' _

But those obtuse thoughts were pushed away hastily when he stood up at the end of his bed and unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off. Her lips twitched at the site of tightly wound cords of muscles places just right…everywhere.

'_Oh hell of course I can let this happen…_'

Letting out a slow breath she didn't even bothering hiding her lust from the boy in front of her, okay not really a boy, they were both eighteen, adolescent adult then. So this was perfectly fine…

Perfectly…fine…

There went her coherent thoughts again when he put a knee against the mattress edge and crawled towards her on his hands and knees in a way that could only be described as predatorily. Hermione's heart thudded harshly in her eyes.

'_Oh Merlin_,' she thought to herself as he continued his advance on her already trembling figure. That fire that had died down with the loss of contact was back once again with that smoldering, yet cold glance from him, and she couldn't help but clench her thighs together, earning an amused, smug smirk from him.

--

Draco rolled over to his side; his sleep-clogged mind subconsciously reaching for the body it knew should have been there. But when his fingers met nothing but silk fabric his eyes sprang open with sudden realization, blissful morning sleep forgotten in that instant an instead traded for irritation.

Women did _not_ leave Draco Malfoy's bed. Grunting in aggravation he sat up his satin sheets sliding down to bunch in his lap as he looked around. By the looks of the still dark sky it couldn't have been more then four or five in the morning. The place next to him was cold, but it held that unmistakable scent that was Hermione. Snarling slightly he looked around again and saw that any indication she had been there was gone.

Except for the smell and the memory. Closing his eyes in silent contemplation he remembered easily what had happened only a few scant hours ago. He never would have thought that the Gryffindor's prized Princess would be such a little hellcat in bed. From the way her heels had dug into his ass cheeks, amusingly enough, to the still stinging reminder or her nails scraping down his back and even the timid dirty talk he coaxed out of her.

Draco liked to think of himself a…considerate lover, even if it was with a person he saw so ardently as his enemy, he had made sure the little goody to-shoes had been adequately sated before taking his own needs. But the ungrateful little wench wasn't even in his bed when he woke. Probably somewhere crying for the loss of her virginity. Yes, he knew she was a virgin, how could she not be? From the slightly pained look on her face and the silent tears that bubbled up in her eyes, it was utterly obvious.

But that injured reaction had quickly gone away, with a few well-learned tricks on his part, and soon she was once again arching and panting underneath him, begging for more, and harder. Smirking to himself he stood and grabbed a pair of his favorite silk pajama bottoms to pull them on and pushed his way out his door to the common room. What he saw there made his confident strides falter and his eyes widen in slight disbelief.

There reading quite comfortably sipping tea, curled up to one side of the large sofa, was none other then Granger herself. Looking every bit content and relaxed. Draco could have sworn she would have been sobbing madly, calling him names, and swearing her undying hatred for him. But no she sat peacefully…reading.

_Reading_ for Merlin's sake!

There was no signs of distress from her or inner conflict. He arched an eyebrow when she looked up and met his stony gaze evenly, and he scowled even deeper when she smirked slightly. Not smiled, not grinned, but _smirked_.

"Good morning," she said lightly and closed the book in her lap after marking the place with a slip of paper. Leaning forward she picked up the pot of what smelled like Earl Gray Tea and posed it over a empty cup as so poor it. "Tea?"

She was acting much to nonchalant over the whole thing, and Draco wondered briefly if he had been used. The idea sent a smirk of his own to his lips and he shook his head to clear his head. He did not get used.

"Indeed," was all he said and walked up to the low coffee table in front of the couch. He waited for her to finish pouring and took it steadily into his own hands when she passed it to him.

"And what may I ask are you doing up at this most dreadful hour?" He asked after a moment and sipped on the steaming liquid.

"Well," she paused to reach for an apple in the assortment of fruits beside the tray of tea. "I thought I would do us both a favor and remove myself from your bed before you woke."

She then raised an eyebrow at him giving him an appraising look before taking a bit into the pliant flesh of the fruit with a satisfying crunch. "I didn't take you to be one that would cuddle."

Draco snorted in amusement and nodded. "You would be correct. I would have more then likely kicked you out upon waking up."

Granger merely went on eating her fruit after giving him and nod but looked back up when he placed his cup down on the table and started to speak.

"Not that I particularly care, but why did you let happen, what happen?"

She looked off for a moment, the space between her brow furrowing slightly in thought. "I suppose, I wanted to see what it was like. I know you know, that people hold me in a certain light as being perfect and so on, but I'm rather tired of the stereotype everyone holds on me."

"Ah, so I was used." He muttered darkly.

She laughed flippantly and shook her head. "Yes and no. Terrible sorry about that Malfoy, but it couldn't have been anyone but you."

He threw her a questioning look then and she went on.

"You see, I only ever agreed to date Ron, I admit now, to bring back some sort of stability in my life. I don't like him that way, as much as I conveniently made myself believe, and I didn't allow myself to see that really until you so…graciously…pointed it out to me. Then I got to thinking, why? What can I do about it? And that answer came to me after thinking about you. Why did I get this fluttering in my stomach when you looked at me, however cold your stares could be? Why not when Ron, even when he looked at me with much warmer eyes?"

Draco slowly smirked at the delicate rise of pink on her cheeks as she spoke. It was embarrassing to hear much less say aloud. It was a good thing to see her discomfiture, amusing at it was.

"So, I decided to throw caution to the wind. I'm glad I did, it was a very eye opening experience, if not enjoyable. Of course I have no prior knowledge to go on, but nonetheless judging by the reactions I gave you, it was pleasurable."

Her tone was just a little to detached and calculating, much like it would sound while giving an well rounded theory in the classroom.

"Well that's all fine and good, Granger, but why me?" he hissed out in slight irritation.

"Ah, yes, sorry, why you? Well I suppose you are the only person that has made me feel the way I felt enough to go that far. Nothing emotionally attached to it, however, it was more for my personal wonderment."

"As superb as it is to hear you've worked out something completely personal I wouldn't have pegged you for someone that saw sex as a purely unemotional act," he said flatly.

"Why would I? You and I are in no sort of expressively bound relationship," she said with mild confusion. "And the loss of my…virginity," she paused to beat down the blush of the usage of the word before going on, "can be looked at from a different view point as well. The hymen is nothing but a thin membrane that would have no doubt been easily torn, say in some sort of physical sport. If I were opt to do that sort of thing."

"I see, so you _are _linking your virginity to emotion, so to speak," Draco said thoughtfully. "Say you did lose your virginity to someone you actually had a deeply bonded relationship too, you would see it as a metaphorical meaning."

He mulled the idea over in his head as she nodded in agreement.

"Is that odd?" She wondered out loud.

Was it odd? He supposed that it wasn't; in way it was much better then dealing with a distraught muggleborn Gryffindor on his hands, which no doubt would have brought the wrath of heaven and hell down on his head.

"It has peeked my curiosity, however," Granger said with a very un – Granger – like smirk.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I quite enjoyed myself last night," she suggested heavily and Draco arched an eyebrow before copying her smirk once again.

"I see," he said and stood. "Then this should be interesting Granger…very much so indeed."

As he left he heard her hum her assent and grinned at the feeling of her eyes, almost literally burning a whole in his back.

--

**A/N – There you have it, the beginning of the real story plot. I know I know kind of dragged it out there, BUT here it will only get more interesting, with the melodramatic specialist (that would be the other person writing this story) half of the evil ducks army and the smut specialist half (that would be me people) this story line is about to take a few sharp twist and turns, and quickly. Oh and do look forward to some more lemons on my behalf. The ten chapters before this does play into the story line and will support what is to come, thank you all for reading and I do hope you come back to read more!**


	12. Chapter 12

Hermione acted as though her night with Draco never took place the following weeks. She treated him as she had the day she had found out of Ron's infidelity, with less than amicable tones and once again became the ice queen. Draco was at a loss, he was beginning to question if anything had happened and the only reason he hadn't was the tell tale proof of virginity that had stained his sheets before he cleaned them.

Her nonchalant view of the events that occurred between them were unnerving to Draco because he didn't want her to think that this was something that would happen again, he had gotten rid of his itch and that was all he needed. Yet it didn't seem that she herself even wanted to get near him again seeing as how she didn't try to avoid him, and didn't even blink when he would call her a slag she'd merely stare at him roll her eyes and be on her merry way.

It was maddening!

He was going to break the Gyriffindork princess if it was the end of him he would break her and he would enjoy every second of her long overdue downfall.

It had been weeks since Harry had spent time with Natalia, actually he was starting to think that she was avoiding him, or so it seemed. He was quite sure that Natalia had told Blaise which was why he kept getting such warning glances from Zabini. And although they had been dealing with the semester finals and it was understandable that they were going to spend less time together it was now the last week before she left to Italy for the winter break and he was determined to at least spend the trip to Hogsmaede with her.

He knew she had expected their relationship to escalate to something more than what was allowed of them, in public at least. Harry also knew that being the sensitive if not stubborn person she was if things didn't happen the way she'd planned and dreamed for them to happen than she would pull away and he didn't want that to happen, not before he gave up a fight for her. His only problem was how to convince her that things were not doomed simply because she had to place a facade for others.

Walking into their morning class after a morning of trying to find her, Harry took his seat next to her and made a grab for the hand she had placed on their desk before she pulled it away and smiled sadly at him and continuing the notes she had taken. Upset by this action Harry was beginning to feel frustrated and as though she didn't want to be with him, as though the time they've spent together was a mistake.

_How many times must I tell you that she is FAR to good to settle with someone of your caliber._

Harry's blood ran cold and a sweat broke out across his forehead

_**You're not real and that isn't true.**_

Harry tried to fight back and became so tense Natalia took note but tried to ignore it, fighting with her own feelings of shame for being so naïve of the relationship.

_Then why has she yet to take note that you're going insane? Face it Potter Natalia will never be yours, you will never have anyone and who would want to be with someone who KILLED their first love?_

Harry screamed and ran out of the class, causing Natalia to jump out of her seat at the look in his eyes, a look so cold and tortured that it made ice run through her veins when he glared at her. The students all startled as well stared at the female as if asking her for an explanation for Harry's outburst, the professor locked eyes with Natalia his face turning beet red before he screamed

"Get out!" Shocked but confused Natalia let her defiance step in and stomped her foot.

"Why?!" Professor Helios was done with all the interruptions.

"You and your partner seem to do nothing but distract my lessons so get out because I am tired of these charades! Do you think this is fine?! Making a mockery of my class?! now get out and you will be sure to receive a message from the headmistress!" Angrily and impatiently Professor Helios waited for Natalia to make her exit, which even in a state of shock, anger, and confusion, was just as graceful and elegant as though she were entering a ball. She turned once only to look the professor in his eyes and a sneer to rival that of Draco Malfoy's spread across her face.

"Leccacazzi." Then she smiled sweetly and with little effort almost took the door off it's hinges as she slammed it shut and stormed off blindly.

"The nerve of him! To kick me out of the class as though it were my fault Harry suddenly freaked out! Stupid pinheaded good for nothing Defense teacher! I don't even understand why we need it! That man should be out of the job!" Natalia angrily ranted to herself as she absentmindedly stormed through the otherwise quiet castle. Feeling herself get lightheaded Natalia immediately resolved ot step outside and get some air before she decided to blow up the school.

Out in the courtyard, the rather cold December air did it's fair share of cooling her off, to the point that she was now chattering.

"Stupid, stupid cold."

"And just what do you think you're doing skiving off class so early in the morning?" Rolling her eyes at the voice behind her Natalia couldn't imagine this morning getting any worse.

"Well when a professor kicks one out I suppose I'm supposed to check in tiptop correct?" Natalia asked snidely. Hermione pulled her wand on the girl whose back was turned to her, sensing this Natalia laughed.

"What do you think I'm going to do? Cast an unforgivable when my wand is in my tote, and my tote is not on my person? You are a very rash person do you know that Miss Granger?" Natalia said as she slowly turned to face the girl before her. There was a glint of frustration in her eyes that Natalia knew Hermione was trying to hide.

"You may be able to get away with not attending classes when Draco catches you but I don't give a damn who your father is or how rich your family is, you are no one understand me? You will never be anything better than what your family condemned you and all your bastard children will never be known as anything better than death eaters! Daddy's money won't wash away the sins _Natalia_ won't wash away the truth." In a flash of fury Natalia pinned the shorter girl by the throat to the courtyard wall. Eyes full of rage Natalia spoke in a tone that differed that of her rage, her tone was calm yet everything else seemed to scream that Natalia had gone mad.

"Listen to me you little bitch, believe it or not I was a member of the Order you stupid whore, in Italy I would relay information that I overheard from one said Lucius Malfoy to Blaise who would in turn tell Mistress Maconagall, don't you dare involve my family past, present, or future in any of this you bigot minded fool! Their mistakes are theirs to make their sins are theirs to be condemned for but not by you, you are no holier than though presence on this world Hermione. You committed sins just as horrible in that war, we are all to blame for the deaths of the people we loved, and I don't judge you for any of them. Yet since that day on the train all you do is act as though I had committed some wrong towards you, well guess what Miss Granger." Slowly Natalia's face came closer to Hermione's before her mouth rested on Hermione's ear and in a hushed tone Natalied whispered in the witch's ear.

"I spent more time among muggle Italy then I ever did the magical communities." She pulled her face away to find a glaring Hermione.

"Yeah right your just a-"

"- A what? Bigot close minded _bitch_ like yourself? Well believe it or not Draco isn't the only pureblood in the world, and his beliefs of muggles are very different then mine, how would it make you feel if I told you that I've had various relationships with muggle men? To know that I actually fell in love with one for a short time while I was in Italy? Yes like it or not love, I'm a pureblood witch with a taste for muggle men." Releasing her hold on Hermione's neck, the beautiful which released one more piece of information. "I also have a taste for charming young war heroes, so just keep an eye out." That said, Natalia smirked and walked away towards her tote and began to leave Hermione alone. Yet while her back was turned an embarrassed and highly enraged Hermione pulled her wand out only to find it shot out of her hand.

"Now since when did you begin to fight dirty mudblood? And you expect respect from purebloods." You could nearly see the steam escaping from the young witch's ears as she hurled herself at Draco who had seemed to pop out of nowhere. Easily holding her at bay Natalia looked at Hermione in a state of shock and disbelief.

"Draco, I never thought she would try something like that." Hermione was flinging herself at Draco waving her arms shouting frantically.

"Don't touch me you filthy sorry excuse of a human being! Let go of me, besides what do you defend her for, she's a muggle fucker didn't you know?" Natalia blushed, she wasn't very fond of crude language and only used it when angry, she especially didn't like her relationships to be described as "fucking". Draco looked bored as he held Hermione and answered.

"Yes well, Natalia has always had a thing for whatever is forbidden, Natalia what are you doing out of class." Ignoring the kicking girl in his grasp and turning his attention to his friend, Natalia not knowing how to react only replied.

"Helios kicked me out because Harry had some sort of a panic attack and left." Draco rolled his eyes.

"That crackpot Potter, I swear the savior of our generation sure has some serious problems that need to be taken care of. Well just, I don't know don't get caught walking around." Taking her dismissal rather insulted Natalia stuck her tongue out at him before giving Hermione one more scornful look and turning her back to them and leaving in an almost huff. Hermione saw the smile of amusement on Draco's face and couldn't help but to think that he was quite handsome, yet when he set his attention back to her and shoved her away from his body and the scowl returned she cursed the day she thought she ever found him attractive.

"Just what do you think you were trying to do to her? Do the rules _still_ not apply to the Golden Trio? Do you think that hurting one of my closest friends is something you want to do, when I know just who took your innocence-" Draco then put his face next to Hermione's causing a shiver to run up her spine and all through her body. "Twice." He smirked at her rigid posture.

"You are a pig." He could see the anger boiling inside Hermione.

"At least I didn't offer myself on a silver platter to the person I'm supposed to hate right?" Hermione tried to storm off but Draco grabbed her and pulled her hair back so that he was forcing her to look at him.

"I don't believe I excused you, remember your place, you are always beneath me. One step behind or down on your knees like a good little slut, for all the shite you speak of us purebloods in the wizarding world you sure aren't doing a very good job of giving me a good example to respect mudbloods and muggles." His free hand now forced her face closer to his as he kissed her with a brutal force, cutting open her lip as she cried in pain and anger, and a tad bit of lust.

"Inflictora saprete che il danno un drago può infliggere." _(now you'll know the damage a dragon can inflict )_ Draco whispered as he pushed her to the floor and left her nursing her wounded lips, confused and afraid to head back into the head dormitories.

_What have I done?_

For the first time since that night nearly a month ago, Hermione finally realized the gravity of her decision to sleep with Draco, much less let him be her first lover. Sitting down in a sore heap, Hermione let her tears fall as she realized the last bit of her innocence was gone, and there was nowhere else to go from there,

Natalia couldn't believe the events that had taken place so far this morning, she was sure that whatever deity was in control was having a bitch fit and perhaps needed a Midol because first Harry then Hermione and Draco, this day couldn't seem to get any worse.

As Natalia sat at the shore of the Black Lake wrapping her school robes tightly around her body, she thought back to the look Harry had given her in their first period class, just remembering it made her feel as though Harry hated her. She couldn't let Harry hate her, not after everything they went through to get here, but she couldn't get over her anger at herself for being so delusional to the fact that even if Blaise knew about her and Harry they still wouldn't be able to tell anyone, at least not until the situation between her and Draco was sorted out. And the situation itself made Natalia doubt that her and Harry could make it through, to have her boyfriend deal with an engagement to her best friend and his worst enemy was not something that any guy should have to deal with. Resting her chin on her knees Natalia sighed sadly, she was sure this was the breaking point and her relationship with Harry was finally done with.

_Stupid pact, stupid family, I hate this world, I'd rather be a muggle, life would be so much easier_

She was so enthralled in her thoughts that she didn't see the wizard who had been torturing her thoughts pass her by as he himself had taken to ignoring her.

Harry had just been released from the care of Madam Pomfrey for the second time that year and he decided that what he needed was some cold air and time away from the dark haired girl who was taking over his life. Harry thought back to the year and how his "condition" had gotten worse every time he worried about Natalia, it was clear to see she was the cause of his problems and that maybe being with her wasn't such a good idea.

_But she makes me as happy as Ginny used to._

**Yes well what does it matter when she's dead.**

Harry couldn't help but to think that all the fighting he did for the Italian girl who was at the other end of the Black Lake was in vain and for no reason. She had done nothing but cause problems between him and his friends, his schoolwork and his damn sanity. He couldn't help but to think that all this was pointless and that just because she was beautiful enough to stop traffic in London, and the time she spent with him laughing and kissing him, making all his problems and miseries go away she was worth this torture. It should have been enough for any man, especially Harry he hadn't laughed truthfully from the depths of his soul since he was a child, and all the time he spent with Natalia he was happy. But she was far too much for him to handle especially in his current state. For all the good things she did for him, Natalia caused just as much strife and problems. Her excessive mood swings and some time outrageous outbursts were things that Harry didn't know how to control or handle and knew she would be better paired with someone who had a patience that **far** exceeded his own.

Thinking back to all of Natalia's outbursts, Harry couldn't help but smile. Her liveliness always did that to him, she reminded him of Ginny in so many ways. Yet their differences made him appreciate her more, even if she was a bit unstable and at times too much to bear. He loved to see the fire in her eyes though, always bright and warm, sometimes warning but never dangerous. Harry knew that with him at least she was all bark and no bite and he loved the control he had over her.

"Do you mind if I join you?" He looked up to see the beautiful insanity he had just been contemplating before him. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes, yet at the same time the hope and fire that he couldn't seem to stay away from. Fearing that he might not be able to resist her chocolate brown eyes and tempting kisses. Looking away quickly Harry focused his attention on the frozen lake before him and shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't imagine why you would want too." Sadly Natalia hung her head in embarrassment and sat on an overgrown tree root that caused her feet to dangle, sneaking a look at Natalia Harry saw her wringing her hands and looking down unsure of what to say. Sighing heavily he was tempted to speak but didn't want to give her the satisfaction so he merely leaned back against the trunk of the tree and continued his analyzation of the lake's surface.

"I know you hate me Harry-"

"What?!" Harry was flabbergasted he couldn't grasp what she had just said, how could she ever think that he even remotely hated her. Maybe feared her slightly, but he could never hate her.

Natalia felt the tears as they bubbled up inside her, she knew it she had pushed him so far that he did hate her. Fighting the tears , her voice cracked as she continued.

"-I know, I don't blame you either. I'm not an easy person and you deserve so much better than-" She was cut off as Harry had quickly placed his hands on her face holding her in place while he kissed her almost pleadingly. Slowly yet in desperation, like he was suffocating and needed her to keep alive. Natalia had never felt Harry kiss her like this before and it caused an array of feelings to rise in her, everything from need and love to fear and desperation. She kept her eyes open it seemed for hours before relenting into the kiss and wrapping her arms around his neck lacing her fingers through his hair falling back until they began tilting and before either realized Natalia broke the kiss screaming as they fell back into a mass heap of limbs. Harry felt awkward and embarrassed at his sudden loss of control but he was confused by Natalia's reaction. She was laughing full hearted, one hand covered her mouth while the other was on her chest as she tried to control herself.

There was that feeling again, he felt that pull on his heart and the uncontrollable grin as he caught site of her laughing, it was an innocent laugh, a pure laugh that was like a melody. He saw the tears forming in her eyes at the hilarity of the situation.

After a good while Natalia finally calmed down enough to look at Harry and asked rather amused.

"I take it you don't hate me yet?" Smiling Harry pushed himself up best he could but still only managed to kiss her chin, making Natalia laugh again as he responded.

"Well if you think I could ever hate you, then your bloody mental." Pretending to be angry Natalia tried to pry herself from beneath his heavy body before he placed more weight on her and pinned her hands down to either side of her head and fixing himself between her legs. He bent his head down low and spoke in a husky voice into her ear causing shivers to run up her spine in anticipation of what was to come.

"You couldn't get away from me even if you wanted to." Natalia closed her eyes and swallowed a lump that had suddenly formed and turned her head claiming his lips for hers, they kissed again with that same need from before, the same feelings in their stomachs. Harry slowly let loose of his hold on her hands and let his hands roam her body exploring parts of her that he hadn't in what seemed too long.

Natalia moaned into the kiss wanting to feel more of his skin on hers as his hands had snuck under the hem of her blouse and were lingering on the sensitive skin of her stomach. Harry felt her shiver at his touch and his movements began to get much more bolder and soon he was kissing his way down her jaw line and neck while she had her legs wrapped around his waist, her skirt riding up dangerously high.

Yet as much as she wanted to continue to feel him on top of her doing the sinfully delicious things he was doing to her with just his hands she had to gain control of the situation. Natalia wanted to make Harry feel just as good as he was doing to her, she knew she could and would but this wasn't the time or place and as much as she was willing to throw caution to the wind and say screw it, quite literally too Natalia pushed Harry away from her body regretfully. Breathing hard and confused he looked at her as if he had done something wrong, trying to smile as calmly as possible she too caught her breath and explained.

"No Harry we mustn't, not here not after what just happened in Defense class, the headmistress is certain to be looking for us." Harry groaned and nodded but rested his face in the crook of her neck.

"Well when?" A devious idea crossed Natalia's mind.

"A day when no one's bound to be in the castle." Harry looked at her as though she were crazy. "Well OK not _everybody_ but anyone who would interrupt us." Catching the hint Harry smirked and placed a kiss on her neck making Natalia moan. She rocked her body against him causing him to groan as he buried a fist into her hair.

"No, no you're right we need to stop before we get caught."

"A bit to late for that Potter." A cool voice said from behind, masking the complete rage the passerby was feeling. Natalia's eyes widened and she slapped a hand to her forehead in embarrassment and annoyance.

"Riunione operata voi qui cugino." (_Fancy meeting you here cousin) _She tried to sound as innocent as possible but Blaise was having nothing of it.

"Natalia se non uscite sotto là dall'io giurate che sto trasmettendoli a Beuxbaton, allora ad un convento in Siberia. Per quanto riguarda Harry se apprezza i suoi organi riproduttivi suggerirei che spostasse il suo corpo da il vostro prima che perderà il mio temperamento." (_Natalia if you don't get out from underneath there I swear I'm sending you to Beuxbaton, then to a convent in Siberia. As for Harry if he appreciates his reproductive organs I'd suggest he moves his body from yours before I lose my temper.) _

Harry cringed at the Italian's mention of his name, he could only guess what Blaise would do, because if his patience was anything like that of his cousin's than Harry was not in a very good position, so to speak. Slowly lifting his body from his girlfriend's he let Natalia slide out fixing her clothes as she scooted up discreetly. Harry decided just to lay on the floor, while his body and all the things he held near about it cooled off. Natalia didn't even speak at the look in Blaise's eye all she did was make an innocent face and bite her lip nervously.

"Quello non funzionerà questo volta, ottiene il vostro asino fino all'ufficio del Maconagall della direttrice ora!" _(That won't work this time, get your ass up to Headmistress Maconagall's office now!) _Blaise had never yelled at Natalia, and much less let anyone see him as anything other than the nonchalant, uncaring, Italian god that he had been for the past 7 years. Quickly she nodded, not even daring took back at Harry who was now standing jaw clenched ready for the worst to happen to him.

Blaise waited for Natalia to be out of eyesight before setting his attention to Harry who had yet to move. Locking eyes with one another, Harry saw the rage in the Slytherin's eyes and shuddered. Any other day Blaise would have taken great pleasure in seeing the fear in Harry's eyes, simply due to ego and the fact that he made the boy who lived feel fear, but all he could focus on now was trying his best not to kill him. Yet as angry as he was Blaise simply stared Harry straight in the eye and said.

"You hurt her in any way, I'll kill you. I won't make it short and quick, no magic either I will kill you Potter with my bare hands, you don't know half of what that girl means to me. If she comes to me just once Harry listen to me once! Telling me you made her cry even if it is something as mundane as you forgot her birthday you will regret it." Walking away without another word Blaise left Harry feeling quite scared and relieved, he let out a breath that he had not known he was holding and realized that he was lucky to love Natalia.

_Oh shite. I love her. This can't be good._

Hermione decided to take the day off complaining that she just needed a day of rest because she felt exhausted. Not one to question a member of the Golden Trip Madam Pomfrey allowed for her to spend the day in bed. In her room she tended to the wound on her lip that she had hidden with a concealment charm, Hermione didn't want any gossip breaking out about her confrontation with Natalia or her run in with Draco.

"Dammit to hell!" Hermione screamed out in frustration at the mere mention of his name. She hated him with a fiery passion, she wanted him to die and rot in hell, most of all though she wanted to oblivate that stupid night of misjudgment from his mind and leave it all to her shame.

"Oi muddy don't make such a racket I'd like to catch some sleep before the next class." Angry Hermione kicked the bathroom door from which he was yelling at her from and then pounded it before screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Go wank off you stupid twat!" She hadn't time to think as Draco stormed into the room and angry and determined look on his face. Pushing her on her bed before straddling her and holding her hands above her head, his face contorted ina vicious sneer.

"Care to run that by me again slag?" His voice was maliciously low and it made Hermione's heart pound in her ears and she was certain Draco could hear it as well but she wouldn't allow him the satisfaction of knowing he instilled anything other than disgust in her, she sneered back.

"Wank. Off. You. Stupid. Twat." Slapping her across the face, Draco opened a new cut on her lip and kissed her forcefully opening her wound more.

"You just enjoy being abused don't you slag? Well don't worry I'll punish you just like you want, even if you don't want it don't think I'll care." Hermione knew this was not going to end good, and that Draco was going to win and all she was going to do, the only plan she could come up with.

Was to let him.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N – Well…I suppose I should put up a warning here, this will

**A/N – **_Well…I suppose I should put up a warning here, this will contain adult content and is not suitable for younger readers under the age of 18 – This will be unadulterated pure smut – I, in no way, condone underage sex so if you are under the age of eighteen please do us a favor and high tail it out of here._

Chapter 13

Even though the hands that skipped down her sides and squeezed her thighs to grab at her were bruising, Hermione refused to let him have it how he wanted it. She was not going to struggle and make a fool out of herself, that's what the bastard wanted she was sure. If the way he licked his lip to taste her "_dirty"_ blood was any indication. Hermione took several deep breaths to steady herself as she turned the tables on him, rolling her hips up against his arousal she watched with breathless satisfaction when his eyes rolled up and he grunted at the sensation.

When he looked back down at her his eyes flashed with confusion at just what she was doing but she responded by glaring defiantly.

'You're not getting the best of me' both their eyes said, Hermione knew then that neither would be getting out of this without some kind of bruising and or scratches. For some reason the thought merely sent a shiver of anticipation right down her spine to pool in her stomach making it tighten with need. She knew that they hated each other; he would always think of her as a dirty – mud – blood – slag, and him? She would always know him to be a ferret – faced – pompous – bastard. But that didn't matter now as Draco literally ripped her top, sending the buttons skittering across the bed and floor.

Hermione was not going to be complacent either as her hands impatiently undid his trousers, using her heels to push them over his ass taking his boxers with them. Suddenly without warning a stinging pain shot through her shoulder and she couldn't help but cry out and arch into Draco as he bit her, her nails digging into his biceps deep enough to draw blood in retaliation.

This would be nothing like the first time, she knew that and she had no qualms about that. No this would be hard, fast, and feral no holding back, and no apologizing. A strangled moan ripped through Hermione's throat when Draco's slim fingers found purchase between her legs teasing her wet folds, the lacy panties pushed to the side and more than likely torn from his violent treatment.

Blonde hair mingled with honey brown curls on the cream colored comforter as Draco kept his face buried in the side of her neck, his teeth continually staking claim against her burning skin. She continued to rock against him trying to tell him what her body needed but he infuriatingly just pressed his body back against her as he teased her with his fingers. Growling, Hermione tugged on his hair harshly causing Draco to look up at her.

"You stubborn, bastard…" Hermione panted. "Stop screwing around."

She wanted to wipe the smirk off of Draco's face as she said that and as in control as he seemed, Hermione could feel his own body trembling, his heart pounding, and heard the sound of his uneven breathing as he struggled to keep some symbolism of power over her. She was about to try some other way to spur Draco on but didn't have time to figure it out as his fingers left her and something else pushed into her hard, tearing her in two. Throwing her head back Hermione opened her mouth to cry out, but the sound couldn't even vocalize the sweeping pain. Her nails bit into his arms and shoulders making Draco grunt and pull out then back in even harder. Over the sensation of pain a small shiver of pleasure knotted, causing her to tighten her legs around his waist and squeeze as she started to raise her hips up and meet him thrust for thrust.

Draco's mouth traveled down the throat bared to him, willing his mouth to her collar bone down between her breasts, his teeth catching on the fabric and biting as he pulled slightly at the lace. Hermione arched as his hand trailed to the small of her back and raked his nails across the skin along the way. In that moment something slowed, softened and she was too breathless to stop it. With every slow push, her lips parted and her fingers slowly relaxed their tight grip, running her hands along the muscled lines of his strong shoulders, and his neck Hermione's eyes shut, her head falling to the side.

Why was he being more gentle? Hermione thought to herself through the thick fog of pleasure that had wrapped around her, it wasn't supposed to be like this. Both of his arms had wrapped around her and she gasped as Draco held them flush together. His skin was hot, almost scalding, their bodies slid against each other with every push and pull of pleasure like a building pressure. Hermione could feel her body tensing, eagerly grasping at release and it was then she noticed the sounds in the room.

The noise their skin made when it met on for a moment, the soft moans and panting from Draco. She was almost surprised to hear herself: low husky whimpers of gratification falling past her lips unbidden as she raked her nails through Draco's blond locks.

Then suddenly like a bowstring wound to tightly Hermione froze; The pressure deep in the pit of her stomach finally swelling so high it tumbled over taking her with it. The fall of bliss was dizzying, disorienting, but something she wanted to never end. She faintly heard her own voice call out the one name that had made her feel this way.

"Dra-co…" his name stumbled from her mouth, broken, as she lost herself in her own sinfully wonderful release. Hermione almost didn't catch that he to had joined her in completion and she felt his weight settle on top of her, Draco was heavy but it was not uncomfortable.

After a few minutes of lying there with her eyes closed she cringed.

"What was that?" She whispered, proud that despite the hushed tone it did not waver. Hermione felt Draco tense above her and then suddenly he was gone, sitting up and perched on the edge of the bed. She pulled her top together with one hand as she kept an eye on him and pushed her skirt down with the other, sitting up herself. With out answering Draco stood and pulled his breeches on securely and straightened his rumpled school shirt and tie leaving Hermione to slump down into her pillows.

She asked again to the empty room, "what _was_ that?"

--

Natalia bobbed her leg up and down nervously as she sat at the café table fiddling with the handle of the delicate china teacup. Suddenly she felt a hand on her leg and she looked up sharply only to feel a smile twitch at her lips. Harry sat next to her giving her a reassuring look as they sat, waiting. She had gone behind both Draco and Blaise's back and owled her cousin anyway.

But her nerve left her, though the reason for the discussion made her blood boil terribly. So she had convinced Harry to come with her, he made her feel so much better when he was near. He didn't need to talk or be particularly close, but just be in the same room. Just knowing he was in the vicinity calmed her slightly raw nerves.

Natalia knew that Harry had problems of his own at the moment, but she couldn't help be but a little selfish, especially when it seemed he felt the same way when around her. At the sound of approaching feet the nightingale looked up quickly but sighed just as quickly, it was only the waiter from earlier. He set down the bill and turned sharply.

Natalie let her attention drift away once again and rolled her eyes when she heard Harry call her name.

"Natalia…"

"Yes, Harry?"

"I think you should…look at this…"

Frowning she looked down at the table and the center of his focus. Her frown turned into confusion.

"What in the world…?" she muttered as she went to pick up the medium sized gold chain, and jerked a little when she found her wrist grasped in Harry's grip.

"Don't touch it," he whispered a shadowed expression falling over his face.

"Harry, don't be silly, it's just a chain."

He gave her a sharp and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? If it's just a chain then why did the waiter leave it?" Natalia could only shrug.

"I don't know maybe it dropped from around his…neck?"

'_Okay so that doesn't sound so convincing_,' she thought to herself as Harry gave her an exasperated look.

Sighing, Harry leaned in so his lips brushed against the corner of her mouth on their way to her ear.

"Constant vigilance, Nightingale."

But any kind of vigilance was the last thing on Natalia's mind as she went almost completely boneless in those few seconds. Shaking her head physically she pulled back and crossed her arms, trying to gain back some composure.

"Okay then what do you suppose it is?"

She wanted to blush at the smirk that tugged onto his face but she managed to beat it down somehow.

"Well I'm not sure," he looked down at it titling it to the side, all playful looks and bantering aside. He narrowed his eyes leaned back, looking resigned after a few minutes. "I think it might be a Portkey."

"Well how do you know that?" Natalia countered. He just sounded too sure of himself for her taste. Smiling at each other Harry nodded as he pointed to the object.

"There is a light sheen of magic on the surface, a light translucent blue, that's usually synonymous with Portkeys I've seen that is."

Natalia looked at him skeptically then back down to the chain. She didn't see any kind of color other then gold on the surface.

"You won't normally see the magic, you've got to know what you're looking at," Harry explained as if he had read her thoughts. Natalia gave him another skeptical look but leaned back in her seat nonetheless.

"Okay then, what are we going to do about it?"

"Well what time did your cousin say she was going to meet us?"

Natalia bit her lip and looked to the side for a moment, "Natalia…?"

She just answered by laughing a little nervously. "The thing is, she didn't say…that she was coming." She saw Harry's eyes widen in disbelief. "But she would never leave me when I needed her! I know she'd get in touch with me…I know she'd help…"

Feeling a little dejected and silly she dropped her chin in her hands and glared down at the chain while frowning at the thing.

"She wouldn't," Natalia suddenly mumbled to herself. She ignored Harry's question of what she was talking about and narrowed her eyes a little more at the Portkey. Glancing up at her boyfriend through her dark lashes she bit her lip once again. Natalia knew her cousin would do something like this in retaliation for getting summoned so suddenly. Thing was convincing Harry…

"Hey baby," Natalia said sweetly looking up and smiling. Her hand crept over his, which rested by his cup of coffee. Harry just raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"Yes?" He drawled out keeping her in a steady gaze, but Natalia just kept on smiling. Suddenly without warning she tightened her grip on him and reached for the chain. The sickening feeling of traveling by Portkey was immediate and she could hear Harry's surprised shout from somewhere in front of her.

When things stopped spinning and they landed rather ungracefully, the wind was knocked clean out of Natalia's stomach. She lay motionless for a moment trying to regain her bearings and didn't mind the feeling of the familiar arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Someone clearing their throat made Natalia jerk slightly and she looked up to see her cousin sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, hands folded atop her knee.

"Nightingale?" Shanna asked with a knowing smile.

"Shanna," she breathed in relief. If Natalia had been wrong Harry would probably try and wring her neck for getting captured or something.

'_Speaking of boyfriends,' _Natalia thought to herself as she pushed herself straight up into a sitting position and looked down at the glossed over look in Harry's eyes. "Harry, are you alright?"

He only groaned and blinked, his eyes focusing to look up at her. "As much as I like this position…" he paused as he shifted causing Natalia to go slightly pink in the cheek. "That landing kinda hurt."

"S-sorry," she mumbled as she shifted off of his lap and slid to the floor. As she expected Harry didn't look too happy to have been forcefully Portkeyed to Merlin knows where. He was giving Natalia a tight look that said he was obviously not happy with the situation.

Yet Shanna didn't give either of the two time to start any kind of argument.

"Listen, I realize that you two have school tomorrow. I have a return Portkey on the desk over there," she gestured vaguely in the direction it was in. "Natalia, I also know what is on your mind. If I'm correct you never got a look of the Marriage Contract did you?"

"No, I didn't," she answered with a shake of her head. Both herself and Harry were now standing and heading to the bed to sit. The room was small with only the full size bed and a door for what could only be assumed to be the bathroom.

Shanna sighed bringing back Natalia's attention.

"Well I can't exactly read it to you, but I have memorized some of the '_finer'_ details…" She paused and picked up a packet of paper from her lap and held it out. Natalia jumped up and took it quickly.

"That is a copy of the marriage contract, I managed to get it before I…left."

Natalia licked her lips and clutched the papers, not sure if she wanted to read them anymre. But Shanna wouldn't let her wimp out and she nearly cringed at her cousin's snipped command to open it.

Natalia did so and unfolded the thick parchment slowly.

"Read it out loud," Shanna said softly now. "From the top."

"Marriage Contract - In the name of magic, the beneficent, the merciful Merlin, send his blessings upon us." Natalia paused wondering if this particular part was necessary.

"Go on Natalia," Her cousin urged.

"Right," clearing her throat she went on, "This agreement made on the fifteenth day of June in the year 1991 between the 'Groom' and 'Bride' outlined below," Natalia scanned her eyes down the page and frowned. She remembered that day seven years ago, but never knew what she had been signing. Draco had been there along with his mother and father as well.

"The groom and bride enter into this agreement to provide for circumstances relating to their marriage; and both have read and agreed to the following conditions by way of signing each term part. Uh I didn't agree to any of this, I didn't even read it at the time!" Natalia exclaimed.

"No you didn't, but are you sure you signed?"

"Well I really don't remember…" Natalia muttered scanning down the page. Both area's for her and Draco's signatures were blank as well as the dates.

"This is what Lucius will have you signing during Christmas break, probably, he will also more then likely have a revised version of this contract…" Shanna said as she picked at the hem of her skirt. "Things that will lock you in more tightly to the bond of marriage. What we need to figure out is how to keep you from going to Italy. Lucius will have measures set up to get you to sign that contract no matter what."

Natalia slumped down and closed her eyes. "What am I going to do, Shanna?"

The fair skinned cousin drummed her fingers along her knee in thought before shrugging. "I can maybe buy you the first week of Christmas holiday. During that time, I still have a few strings back at Zabini Manor. I'll try and get a more up to date copy of the contract; find a way to negate the whole thing."

Shanna stood slowly, "Don't try and get in contact with me again, Natalia. Lucius is right to think that I'm going to do anything to stop him and Uncle, he will be watching my flat constantly."

Bending down she rested her hand on the low table where two portkey's rested. "Stay close to Blaise, Nightingale." Shanna paused and gave a sly smile, "And of course your new boy toy here, I'm sure that everything will work out all right."

Natalia nodded and stood wrapping her cousin in a hug before she could touch the Portkey.

"Be careful yourself." Giving an amused sort of chuckle Shanna tugged at the end of Natalia's long hair.

"of course I will. When am I not?"

Before anyone could say anything else, Shanna stepped away and scooped up the Portkey and a split second afterwards disappeared.

The two of them were left in the suddenly overwhelming silence of the hotel room. Natalia dropped the parchments to the low table and turned to see Harry still sitting on the edge of the bed as he looked down at his hands. Heaving a small sigh she stepped up to him and lifted her hand to run it through that untamable wild hair.

She gave a small smile when he leaned into her touch and suddenly Natalia was seized with the uncontrollable urge to just be with him. It didn't matter what they did as long as she was right there with him. No thoughts of Draco, or the contract, or how her cousin would react to know she was here with Harry.

No…just him and knowing for sure, being absolutely positive that he felt even an inkling of what she was feeling for him. Natalia knew however it was unfair to demand of him if he loved her or not, so she would be content to just be. Taking the sides of his head in her hands she tipped his head up and delved down to capture Harry's lips against hers. Urging him silently to deepen it, to take control, Natalia wanted none of it.

Reassurance was what she needed, wanted, craved right now, and Merlin, she hoped Harry could…_would_ give it. She wasn't disappointed as she felt his Quidditch strengthened arms circle around her waist and pull her into his lap. Natalia gave an almost needy, helpless whimper she wasn't sure she liked but soon forgot as Harry's lips left her own to mark a hot trail down her neck.

She arched her back and leaned her head back freely giving him permission to go on, and for the love of all that was magical to _not_ stop. Natalia's trepidation and worries seemed to melt away almost instantly as her heartbeat sped up a good deal more. Her skin tingled pleasantly as his hand slipped between her shoulders and the other brushed the underside of her arm, almost tickling her.

Clenching her teeth and closing her eyes she trusted his hold on her as she arched some more, causing her to lean her head back. Natalia exhaled breathlessly as she pushed back upright and made him fall back on to the bed. She was about to dive in for yet another kiss that would make her light headed or make those wonderfully nervous butterflies stir up once again in her stomach when she noticed Harry looking at her intensely enough to make her blush.

"What?" Natalia muttered as she sat up still straddling his waist and resting her hands on his stomach, clenching the fabric of his shirt. One of his hands left her hip and brushed back the curtain of dark thick hair, and cupped her cheek.

"That's my line," he teased causing her to roll her eyes and lay down fully on him; her lips mischievously brushing up against his, hopefully enticingly enough to make him shut up. It worked for a moment as he pressed back into the kiss and dipped his tongue into her waiting mouth. She sucked on the muscle slowly and smirked when he groaned.

Natalia didn't stop, not giving him time to even speak as he seemed to want to say something else. Soon enough he relaxed then tensed again to flip them over causing her to grunt with a small chuckle. Things were getting a little too hot as he ground himself into her, causing Natalia to lose her breath entirely. Her hands clenched into small fists beside her head as Harry shifted and tailed a hand down her side to her thigh then hooked behind her knee, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist.

But urging was one thing she didn't need help on and possessively wound herself around him, arm and legs alike.

Natalia couldn't hear a thing over the pounding of her own pulse in her ears as her blood roared and her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. She was already trembling with need and Harry hadn't even made a move to more intimate things. Her school skirt was bunched up at her hips and something seemed to pulse in her lower stomach when she realized he was saying something into her ear. Low, and husky, and sounding just as breathless as she felt.

It didn't matter what Harry might have been saying because she nodded her head slightly and she gave a choked whimper…or it might have been a gasp, or moan, or even a cry, Natalia wasn't sure anymore…all she could feel was bliss as Harry's fingers firmly found their way between their bodies and pressed into the throbbing tensely waiting bundle of nerves. Harry seemed just as eager as Natalia did and though he kept a gentle but firm rhythm she felt his body almost hum in anticipation. Or…nerves?

Either way the knot of out of reach fulfillment in her lower stomach made her quiver, as her legs shook almost like it was a strain. Natalia opened her mouth to say something but all that came out was a weak cry as a wave of sizzling pleasure rocked through her. Finally she found her voice between gasps and moans.

"H-harry…plea-se…" she drug out finally. Not sure what she was asking for but just knew she needed. She felt him rest his head on her chest, felt the vibrations of his rumbling voice as he kept saying nonsensical things. Finally that quickly building knot burst as she tensed, surely leaving whelps through his shirt as her nails dug into him.

Just as fast as her release had come it was gone and the adrenaline that had rushed through her body left her feeling limp. Natalia had to make a conscious effort to keep her eyes from rolling into the back of her head. Soon she felt Harry's lips on hers and she returned the kiss lethargically a small silly smile planted on her face she couldn't wipe off for the life of her.

She did give a small gasp when he ground into her slowly and she felt just how far from being done they were. Finally Natalia was able to focus on Harry's face, she saw that his shirt had somehow come undone and his glasses had been removed. Harry looked down at her with a mixture of gentleness that made her heart clench, amusement, and lust that made her want to squirm.

Natalia still didn't want to say anything, so as to not break whatever atmosphere they had going on, so in a burst of energy she didn't think and she reached down between them like he had done to her and rubbed the palm of her hand across her boyfriend's hardened prick.

Biting her lip Natalia raised an eyebrow jokingly at him until Harry growled and stopped her moving hand with his own, then leaned down to nip at her lips causing Natalia to practically purr. Natalia wiggled her fingers free from his hand, worked the button open and pulled the zipper down, eagerly tugging him out of his pants, finally grasping the hot shaft.

Harry distracted his girlfriend by cupping her breast running his thumb over her nipple. Her body responded instantly as it peaked and hardened through her bra and shirt. Natalia arched off the bed as tingles of sharp pleasure jolted right to her center. Seeing her distracted, Harry took it as a good time to push her lace boy cut panties to the side and line himself with her.

Natalia groaned in half frustration and half eagerness. Once more she wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed her heels into his backside forcing him to push in. It wasn't much but they both groaned. She was overly sensitive and every small tremor sent her shaking once again. When he finally got a hold of himself Harry plunged the rest of the way in and Natalia let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding. She didn't even feel like she was able to get a good gulp of air back in her lungs when he started to move making her dizzy all over again.

Harry intertwined their fingers together tightly and squeezed with restraint, never stopping as he pulled out and plunged back in. His pace picked up and all she could do was hold on, her legs ached deliciously but she wanted nothing more then to continue. With her free hand Natalia brushed back a lock of hair from his forehead and tilted her head to kiss the scar there. She tightened around him and thrust her hips up to meet his with every stroke.

Harry buried his face into to side of her neck nuzzling and kissing. Natalia could tell he was trying to hold back…to draw it out, but she couldn't stop the vindictive streak that crossed her suddenly. She wanted to see him lose himself completely like she had undoubtedly done. Wanted to know that she had done that to him…to make Harry feel that way, and no one else.

Raking her nails down his clothed back she once again squeezed around him causing him to gasp unexpectedly. Natalia continued to do so rhythmically until he cried out hoarsely gripping onto her tightly as he thrust one last time and stilled. After she felt him relax she soothed her hands down his back and as he pulled out slowly she shuddered.

Natalia was reluctant to unwrap herself from his body and stubbornly stayed that way, not that Harry seemed to be objecting as he laid on her trying to catch his breath. Finally she allowed her eyes to fall shut, wanting to give into the sudden sleepiness she felt. She didn't even bothering opening her eyes when she felt him prop himself up and chuckle.

"Don't' laugh…" Natalia grumbled with a pout.

Harry leaned down and gave her a lingering peck on the lips, "We can't stay here, Natalia."

"Yes we can." she argued stubbornly.

Slipping his mouth to her ear, he nibbled on tender flesh of her lobe, "School."

"Do we really have to have an education?" Natalia groused. "We can always just…run away…then we wouldn't have to worry about _anything_."

"Tempting," Harry whispered and rested his forehead on her shoulder. "But I'm not in the habit of running anywhere, especially away from things. We'll work it out somehow."

Natalia wanted to believe that so badly, and suddenly the hazy sleep she felt was lifted as the weight of everything settled back down on her. Blinking her eyes a couple of times she swallowed a sudden rush of emotion that made her throat close painfully.

"Right." Natalia sighed sitting up as Harry did. Forcing a smile on her face that wavered. "Lets get back then."

Harry hesitated briefly before hauling her up to her feet and hugging her almost crushing against him.

"Natalia, I don't break my promises…we _will_ get through this. No running away needed."

Harry sounded so sure of that that she couldn't help but believe him then. Nodding Natalia smiled a little more surely and pulled away only to lace his hand with hers before picking up the Portkey that would drop them off at the edge of Hogsmeade.


	14. Chapter 14

Natalia and Harry both knew it was well past the school's curfew, but also knew that due to Harry's status as the resident hero nothing would really happen. So before heading off to sleep for class the next morning they took a quick trip to the tree by the now frozen lake. The cold was evident but Harry wrapped his arms around the smaller girl in front of him, and Natalia placed her hands over his in an attempt to help him warm up though it was no use seeing as how she was about half his size in all around stature. Harry laughed at her attempt to keep him warm and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"You're an angel, you know that?" Natalia grinned cheekily and turned her head to quickly peck his lips.

"Only for you darling." He laughed and rested his chin on her shoulder as they neared the old tree filled with memories that were beginning to clear out the all the bad times Harry could think of.

Slowly Harry began to deny the war, the blood, the death that had surrounded him for so long as he let himself become enraptured by the Italian goddess in his grasp.

Natalia herself was beginning to create the illusion of a perfect life with Harry, one free of blood ties, expectations, and most of all free of forced marriages. Resting her head on Harry's chest, Natalia closed her eyes as she felt sleep beckoning her yet she didn't want to leave Harry, didn't want to face the reality that she was leaving to Italy in three days time to sign her life away to a man she didn't want to marry, and be forced to bear his seed.

She couldn't think of it, she refused to sleep in a bed with a man that had spent so many nights in the bed of other women. Natalia loved Draco yes, but she would never again be in love with him. He had left her wounded and tainted for so long, left her feeling like a worthless girl, not ever the young woman she was.

Harry gave her that and more, he made her feel like the world was at her whim.

Even if it was only him.

She smirked slightly at the thought of his devotion to her at times. She found it sweet that he would dote on her so much, that he had just met her but had let her in his heart so quickly. Natalia knew it probably wasn't the easiest thing to do, therefore it made her love Harry even more.

Though she had yet to tell her boyfriend.

Natalia wasn't sure what compelled her to keep her feelings for him inside when she was almost positive he felt the same. And if their little act in the hotel room earlier hadn't proven it to her then she didn't know what would. But still there was a nagging inside that told her to wait just a little more at least until after the winter break, because maybe if something happens then maybe just _maybe_ it wouldn't hurt as much when he left her. She wished she could stay with him over the winter break, wherever it was that he was going, she wanted to be with him.

Natalia knew it couldn't be though, that he would spend his holiday with the people he had been with since he started school. That Harry would probably not think of her when he was with his surrogate family, he would probably deny her if anyone asked. Natalia knew this was so, that as much as he may care for her that he would hurt her because it was apparently an easy thing to do.

Being unfaithful to her.

Feeling the tears brimming her eyes, Natalia forced herself to get angry, to tell herself that Harry was just a toy for the time being and that if he used her there would be hell to pay.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to get angry, instead she withdrew into herself even more. Wondering what her faults were, and why she was so easy to hurt. What was it exactly that told men, the second she opens her heart, it was OK to crush it.

She didn't understand.

Harry noticed the way Natalia seemed to draw into herself like she had been doing lately and when he sat down on the grass, his back to against the tree trunk, he turned the Italian girl so she faced him. Her knees on either sides of his hips while her hands lay limply on his stomach.

She didn't look him in the eye, much rather Natalia examined the buttons of his shirt and the emblem of his house over his breast pocket, her hair shielding her eyes from his view.

Harry sighed and brushed away her thick charcoal locks away from her face, cupping her cheek he gently pushed her face up until she had no other choice but to look him in the eye. He saw the way Natalia instantly hid her emotions from him, how that fearful look of uncertainty turned to one unreadable expression that Harry decided he rather didn't like. Harry ran his thumb over her cheek caressing it lightly, reveling in the soft silky skin that tempted him every day.

"What's wrong Natalia?" Natalia grinned widely and laughed.

"Why would anything be wrong?" Harry knew the answer and smile were her way of veering away from something that was bothering her and gave Natalia a tired look.

"Why are you lying?" Still Natalia continued.

"Are you sure something isn't wrong with you? Because I'm perfect love." Natalia's words didn't ring true, and the way her lip trembled slightly made Harry sigh.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's bothering you, do you regret tonight?" Natalia looked up at him with doe eyes and shook her head.

"That is one thing I will never regret."

"Then what is it Natalia? Like I told you at the hotel, we're going to figure a way out of this, we will, don't you worry about that. Do you seriously think I'd hand you off to someone like _Malfoy_ so easily?" Harry said with a smirk, Natalia only gave a small laugh and shrugged, looking down at her hands she replied.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did." Confused and slightly offended Harry ran his hand down her face, gripping her chin lightly bringing her face back up to meet his.

"Now why would I ever do something like that?" His eyes were somewhat hard, telling Natalia that she may have stepped over the line with that last comment, but she didn't care and just shrugged her shoulders again and looked off to the side, observing the Forbidden Forest.

"It's not a difficult thing to do I would assume, to use me then leave me." Natalia's words were harsher than intended and she bit her tongue to keep from speaking anymore. She felt her eyes beginning to sting with unshed tears, Harry's eyes while still confused, were no longer harsh. His eyes shone with concern as he turned his head to look her in the eye.

"Don't you ever think I'd do something like that, I'm not Malfoy and I wouldn't hurt you, Natalia you have no idea how much you mean to me, how much good you've brought into my life. _Merlin, _how could you ever think I would do anything other than love you?" Natalia felt tears rolling down her face and her voice was cracking as she spoke.

"Excuse me?" Harry wiped the fallen tears and cupped her face with both hands, he gave her such a look of adoration that Natalia could feel her heart constricting and swelling altogether.

He kissed her lips gently, pouring his emotions into that one sole kiss. Natalia could feel the tears running down her face as she placed her hands over Harry's and returned the kiss with the same tenderness and emotion. She couldn't understand though, why someone like Harry who had been hurt so much by so many was giving her his love so easily. Natalia couldn't understand why she had guarded her pathetic heart so long, if this had been the reward for opening it in the first place. She had known the pain of doing such a thing, but she had been much too much of a coward to open it more than once.

Harry though, Harry had lost his parents, had been an unwanted member in his uncle's family, had been betrayed, had lost what little members of his family he had left. He had lost his dream girl and been forced to endure watching the murders of countless friends, foes, and allies, but none of that stopped him from giving her his heart.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks with no remorse, and Natalia didn't care she moved her hands from on top of his and cupped her boyfriend's face trying hard not to sob as they continued to kiss.

Harry was the first to pull away.

"Why are you crying Natalia?" Try as she might to stop crying she couldn't so she just placed her lips back over his and kissed him again, praying to god that she had heard right and that this wasn't a dream that he loved her like she loved him, that even though the future was unclear he loved her regardless and _would_ fight for her and that she_ was _worth something. Harry grinned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around the girl in his lap.

Natalia pulled back and smiled through her tears.

"Promise me."

"Promise what?" Harry asked as he cleaned her tears, wondering how she could look so beautiful even with the tears running down her face and her eyes red from the crying.

"That you.... That you...."

"Love you?" Harry said with an amused grin.

"Yes, do you really love me Harry? I don't want to believe you just so that you'll end up lying, don't tell me you love me because you feel it's what I need to hear, and don't just say the words because you think you're _supposed _to. I can't handle that Harry, I'm not strong, I'm not at all, I can't love you and wind up being heartbroken again. My heart is more fragile than I care to admit Harry, because god Harry, I love you, I love you so much." Natalia admitted as felt herself begin to cry again.

Harry pressed his cheek to her cold wet one and nuzzled her face gently.

"I promise you that I love you more than words can admit, that I've loved you for a while and that I can't honestly say when it was that I fell in love because time with you is a standstill, and I also promise that I'll do my best to never hurt you, I won't make you cry and I won't ever lie to you. Trust me with your heart Natalia, I promise I won't let you down." Wrapping her arms around Harry's neck tightly, she cried into the crook of his neck, being soothed by the hands that rubbed her back soothingly and rhythmically.

It didn't take long for the Ravenclaw girl to fall asleep, dead to the world even the handsome Gryffindor whom she was sitting on top of. Harry couldn't help but to feel a twinge of anger towards Malfoy for doing what he had to Natalia, it was plain to see she had loved him more than she let on and that he hurt her more than even she knew. Natalia wasn't weak like she believed herself to be though, she was right in protecting herself from anymore pain, no one deserved to be used like she had, to be abused in such a manner. Though the girl who clung tightly to his shirt was sleeping soundly, Harry pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and whispered into her ear.

"I love you Natalia Zabini, and one day I'm going to marry you." He promised her, as he realized that he couldn't wake her, but that they much less couldn't stay out here all night they'd die of pneumonia for sure.

"Oh Bullocks." Harry groaned.

Hermione had left the room immediately after her second tryst with Draco, she had decided to go to her one and only refuge.

The library of course.

She had been there for hours, skipping dinner and her nightly rounds. Madam Pince had allowed her to stay as long as she needed unsure of what was wrong with the girl. Hermione hadn't cracked open a book, hadn't moved from her spot on the recliner towards the end of the library away from most everyone. She had simply come in and sat down, a blank look on her face as she tried to understand what control it was that Draco "ferret faced" Malfoy had over her. Why could he push her buttons just so, that it made her lose control? He had the amazing ability to make her feel so just downright sinful and good, then with the blink of an eye make her life hell and belittle her self-worth within minutes.

She wanted to figure out Draco Malfoy with every bit of her soul, wanted to know what it was exactly that was going on in his mind that made him think he could do as he pleased with her.

For the second time that day, Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes, and for the second time that day they were at the hand of the one boy she swore she hated with all her heart.

To say Draco Malfoy was confused would be a lie, pissed beyond belief yes, disgusted with himself beyond words, of course! Ashamed at having touched the filthy mudblood again, always.

But not confused.

He had left the room and been pacing back and forth for hours, had taken a hot shower scrubbing his skin raw trying to get Hermione out of his senses.

Granger.

Granger, not Hermione, never Hermione.

If he began thinking of her as Hermione he may even start to like the girl, and if that were to happen then all hell would break loose.

After freezing over of course.

He wasn't Natalia, he wasn't looking for love, Draco wasn't looking for anything from _any_ member of the Golden Trio much less that wasteful emotion. Draco knew there was no such thing as the storybook romance that all simple girls wanted, and it came as no surprise that _his_ Natalia would want the same. The cold eyed boy knew of course that Natalia wasn't his per say, but she had been once and as such would always be a part of him. Yet for the first time in a long time, the raven haired Italian princess was not the girl making his mind run rampant.

It was a buck toothed, frizz haired, low maintenance hag by the name of Hermione Jane Granger.

She was tormenting him with her simple ways, the way she didn't seem to notice or care what she was wearing, that her hair was a crime against humanity. The way she looked like a goddess when she was strewn in the heat of passion. It was all so absolutely insane!

He was supposed to be the one driving the girl insane not doing so himself.

This is what drove Draco to his friend's dorm in the middle of the night, it was well past midnight when Draco had finally come out of his dorm, her saw Granger's door closed and took only some gratification in the fact that she was probably crying over her precious virtue and the fact that he had taken her so many times already.

But the glory was short lived as he nervously knocked on his friend's door, it took Blaise some time before he decided to get up and answer the door and Draco could hear the angry ranting in Italian by the boy on the other side. This brought only a small smile of entertainment to the boy's face as Blaise answered the door.

"Draco? What time is it? Are you insane?"

"No, but I think I'm getting there." Raising an eyebrow the groggy Italian knew that Draco had something he needed to get off his chest and held open the door ushering his English friend in.

"Hurry up before I change my mind." Grateful at the less than amicable invitation Draco stepped in and shook his head, unsure of what his friend would say to his confessions yet he knew if there was anyone he could tell it was his only true friend.

"Well, first of all I blame this entirely on Natalia." Rolling his eyes and letting out a small amused laugh Blaise shook his head.

"That seems about right, what did she do to you now?"

"It's more so what I'm doing now because of her." Raising an inquisitive eyebrow at his friend the chocolate eyed boy said nothing merely waited for Draco to continue. "I'm shagging Granger." The pale skinned boy didn't have the nerve to look up at his friend.

Harry had finally lifted both the sleeping girl and himself up off the ground after what felt like an eternity. It was clear to see that Natalia was no delicate princess as one might assume, she was as dead as a log and though Harry tried to wake her up once he didn't have the heart to try again as she whimpered softly and held on to him tighter.

He was a sucker for a nice pair of lips.

Especially ones that pouted as beautifully as hers.

Smirking and rolling his eyes it had taken Harry various tries before finally lifting up off the ground without waking Natalia whom he was currently carrying into the school, she shivered slightly and held on tightly to her boyfriend as she let out a small sigh and snuggled into Harry's body as he brought her closer to him, one hand under her knees the other around her back as her own arms rested on her stomach and her head on his chest.

Once in the school Harry let out a tired breath as he rested against a wall and looked down at Natalia whose face seemed to be in a worried pout, she began to stir and Harry quickly kissed her and hushed her.

"It's OK I'm taking you back to the dorm." Trying to find it in her to argue and say that she should go alone, the small girl merely looked at up Harry feeling helpless and shook her head trying to break free of his hold, but her chivalrous Gryffindor boyfriend merely held her tighter and warned.

"Either you get carried like a princess or a sack of potatoes you choose." Pouting angrily Natalia huffed and looked straight ahead, to which Harry laughed and kissed her pouting lips lovingly. "I love it when you pout, you look beautiful."

"So I don't look beautiful any other time is that it Potter?" Her voice a groggy whisper as she settled back into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and running her long manicured nails through his scalp slowly causing shivers to breakout throughout Harry as he kissed her again and muttered against her mouth.

"I never said that, a blind man could fall in love with your beauty and your all mine." He said rather possessively as he once again stood and continued the walk to the Ravenclaw dorms.

Natalia rested contentedly in his arms her head in the crook of his neck as she thought herself lucky to have Harry as hers and no one else's. It didn't take long for the couple to make it to door Harry was all too familiar with. The bronze eagle knocker there he looked at Natalia as the normally inanimate object asked them. "How can one be happy?" The couple looked at each other and simultaneously answered.

"You choose to be."

"The situations that happen in one's life." Looking at each other suspiciously Natalia asked Harry.

"What do you mean because of what happens? Things always happen, Harry, but if you don't choose to be happy then you never can be."

"Well Natalia, how can you _choose_ to be happy if you have nothing to _make_ you happy? It would be like asking a blind man to read, telling a person to just be happy it doesn't work like that."

"But why would you give people or events such a power over your happiness? If you don't have it in you to be happy of your own accord and you only depend on others for happiness then you will never be happy." Raising an eyebrow Harry felt himself to get angry as he asked.

"So what are you trying to tell me Natalia? That I should just forget about everything I've dealt with and all the people I lost and just _decide_ to be happy?" Shaking her head rather angrily, the small girl had no chance to reply as the door opened and the current Headmistress walked out.

"What I do believe Miss Zabini is trying to tell your Potter is that, whilst things may happen no matter how terrible they are you must never allow them to consume you to the point of misery, while Harry is trying to explain to you Natalia that people are of importance in one's life and that they can bring an indefinable amount of good to your life as well making your happiness all the much better." Both teenagers looked at each other with sheepish smiles. "Now what do tell are both of you doing out of bed and in the halls at these hours of the night, or shall I say morning?" A knowing smile on the elder woman's face as Natalia quickly said.

"We needed to talk."

"At 3 in the morning?"

"I was urgent Madame." The transfer student said with a serious look, Natalia had always been good at worming out of situations so she assumed this would be no different.

"Well Natalia, I'm not sure how things worked while you were at school in Italy but here at Hogwarts rules are not meant to be broken." Casting a glance at Harry she smirked and added. "Well lest not we get caught breaking them." Harry felt a smile spread across his features as he apologized quickly and bid Natalia good-night.

"Mr. Potter, can I actually have a word with you, I'm sure Filius won't mind if we step into his office." The young couple stared at each other confused before Harry placed a hand on the small of Natalia's back and nudged her inside. "Miss Zabini I'm sure you need your rest after all, just because you had a late night doesn't mean you'll be excused from classes." Nodding Natalia walked to the stairs that led up to the girl's dorms and waved good-bye to her boyfriend who grinned and when the Headmistress disappeared into the office he walked to her quickly and gave her a quick kiss before whispering in her ear.

"Just so you know, the reason I _choose_ to be happy is because you make me happier then I've been in a very long time." Blushing, the young girl kissed him back and murmured to him.

"Well then you're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me and I've never been happier, I never thought one person could do that for me." Kissing him again she whispered. "You should go I'll see you in the morning." After one last kiss was shared between the two the small girl took her leave as Harry slowly walked into the Ravenclaw's office to find a very upset headmistress sitting in a chair behind the desk.

"You wished to speak to me Headmistress?" Harry asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets and waited for McConnagall's wrath to make its appearance.

It had taken Hermione hours to get her emotions under control, yet even though she had cried her eyes dry and had the worst headache she could ever remember the girl was nowhere near being clear minded, just exhausted and in dire need of sleep.

So grudgingly, Hermione stood from her spot on the recliner and lagged out of the library. She was well aware of the hour as a rather long yawn escaped her lips and she stretched tiredly before continuing her lazy stroll to the heads dormitory for much needed sleep, she reminded herself to put up several locking wards on her doors to keep anymore _incidents_ from happening.

The honey haired lioness was halfway up the stairs when stirring from the corner of her eye caught her attention and instinctively she shouted out.

"Stupefy!" Cautiously walking to the tall body that had been caught off guard Hermione felt her headache increase tenfold as she saw the familiar ginger tinted locks, lifting the spell she wasted no time in asking "Ronald what are you doing out at these hours?"

"Same could be asked of you Hermione." Rolling her eyes Hermione reminded her ex.

"I'm a Head, so do well to remember that and mind your manners when you speak to me, now I'll ask you once and once alone, what are you doing here at this hour?" It was clear to see Ron was not pleased at being told what to do.

"Harry's gone, he never came back up after dinner and I'm just worried."

"Harry is fine, he probably just needed to get away, honestly how much social interaction would you want after having to deal with the things he's had to?"

"I've been there with him since day one! Don't belittle what you or I saw just simply because you worship the guy."

"I'd rather worship him, than pretend I'm just as good!"Ron felt his short fuse ignite and he knew this argument wouldn't end good.

"We all went through hell don't you understand?! I just know how to forget easier, it's not my problem if both of you look to get attention by being the suffering war heroes!" He yelled as he began to stalk towards her feeling his anger begin to snap and get the better of him. Hermione saw this but didn't flinch or show the slightest sight of fear as she retorted.

"And you'd like to play the war hero that shags all the slags!"

"You knew what was happening so don't throw that shite out!"

"How dare you say I knew! How could I have known if you never told me arse!" At this Ron grabbed Hermione and shook her rather violently.

"Don't act stupid, it doesn't work! You knew I was ready to take the next step with you but all you ever focused on was school or _Harry_." His best friend's name rolled off Ron's tongue like venom as he continued his tirade.

"Bloody hell, half the time I thought you wanted to fuck Harry not me! You're a fucking tease Hermione, a bitch and I don't know why I ever wanted to be with you. You're nothing, just a brainiac who got lucky when two guys took pity on her." Hermione seethed but could do nothing she was trapped by Ron who had both her arms in a death grip as he shook her every time he spoke.

"200 points from Gryffindor for assault on a student, another hundred because it's a head and 50 just for being a downright prick!" She ended this by spitting at Ron who by now was seeing red as he threw her against a wall and pinned her by the throat, but instead of feeling fear, Hermione felt downright rage as she did her best to fight back the tall boy who was slowly cutting off her oxygen.

It was when her vision started to fade to black that Hermione knew Ron wasn't in a right state of mind. That was when fear began to trickle down her spine as she gasped for breath and her fighting was with him but for him to stop and let her breathe, but her ex was so far gone with anger that he did nothing but push his forearm into her throat even more and it was then that Hermione felt everything fade to black, before suddenly feeling a rush of air in her lungs and instead of wondering what happened she dropped to her knees and gasped for air.

It was when she saw a black pair of shoes in front of her that she looked up to meet cold gray eyes and instead of being fearful or thankful all Hermione could say was.

"You killed him didn't you?"


End file.
